793.94112/320: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 12—7:05 a.m.]
50. Your [Canton’s?] February 7, 5 p.m. The Embassy perceives no objection to Canton protesting against pilotage regulations as being an impairment of American rights and interests in China.
While under present circumstances no instance will probably arise directly affecting the rights of Americans as it is understood that no American commercial vessels now go to Canton, the Embassy proposes to instruct the Consul General at Canton, if the Department approves, to lodge a protest on the general grounds of impairment of American rights and at the same time inform the Japanese authorities that the American Government cannot recognize any claim of the Japanese to a right to try under Japanese military or other law American citizens who may be charged with infractions of the pilotage regulations.52
Repeated to Canton and Chungking. By air mail to Tokyo.
- The Department Informed the Embassy on February 14 of its approval of the proposed action.↩