351G.115/15: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Reed) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:40 p.m.]
69. My telegram 68, May 24, 7 p.m. Under pressure by the Japanese authorities at Haiphong who early this morning informed the French authorities that there would be serious trouble unless the keys to all the properties of the United States Far Eastern Trading Corporation and the North American Syndicate were in their possession by 9 o’clock this morning, the French authorities demanded this morning that the American representatives of the two companies deliver the keys to them for forwarding to the Japanese authorities at Haiphong. Under protest and after having received an official order to this effect from the French authorities, the American representative of the two companies delivered the keys to the French authorities who in turn forwarded them to the Japanese authorities at Haiphong. Shortly before the receipt of the keys Japanese soldiers broke into a number of warehouses belonging to the companies and began to take away cargo, at one place detaining the watchmen on the premises.
It is understood that several Chinese firms have received letters from the Japanese authorities at Haiphong demanding possession of transit cargoes stored with them.
Sent to Cavite for repetition to the Department, Chungking, Pei-ping, Hong Kong, Shanghai; Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.