493.11/2351: Telegram
The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 18—8:25 a.m.]
172. Following is a summary of losses and damages to American property arising out of Sino-Japanese hostilities based on most important recent reports received in this Embassy in response to its circular instruction [to] Consular officers number 121 of April 14, 1939.61
Inflicted by agents of China: direct $329,594.57, indirect $22,473.82; of Japan: direct $2,616,688.58, indirect $424,657.01; unknown: direct $274,731.61, indirect $446,370.64; total losses and damages: $1,914,516.23 [4,114,516.23].
Above figures are in United States currency. Few cases where reports received were in other than United States currency, the arbitrary rates of 4 yen equals one United States dollar and one Chinese dollar equals United States cents 19. Latter rate suggested in the Department’s 127, March 22, 1940 to Shanghai62 last paragraph for 1939 average in converting statistics expressed in yuan into United States currency.
Losses in Shanghai consular district represent 83 percent of total.
[Page 872]It is believed that in a large percentage of cases of loss and damage to American property no estimate of pecuniary loss or damage has been submitted by the Americans concerned.
Repeated Chungking and Shanghai by air mail to Tokyo.