390.1115A/38a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Shanghai (Butrick)
476. The Department tonight gave the following statement to the press: [Page 938]
“The American steamships Monterey and Mariposa of the Matson Line and the Washington of the U. S. Lines are being despatched to the Far East for the purpose of repatriating Americans. The Monterey will sail from Los Angeles October 16th for Honolulu and will carry equipment and supplies for the Mariposa which is now enroute to Honolulu from New Zealand. The Monterey will leave the supplies for the Mariposa at Honolulu and proceed to Chinese and Japanese ports. The Mariposa will transfer her cargo and passengers at Honolulu and return to Australia and New Zealand stopping enroute at Chinese and Japanese ports to take on Americans there desiring repatriation. The S. S. Washington is being prepared for a special journey to China and Japan to provide additional accommodations for Americans there desiring repatriation. She is expected to leave New York Saturday, October 19 and will go via the Panama Canal.”
Repeat to Chungking, Hongkong, Hanoi and Tokyo.