893.24/1214: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Reed) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 26—10:59 a.m.]
189. Early yesterday morning the Mayor of Haiphong advised all interested parties by urgent circular that the Japanese intended to remove all cargo that had been in transit to China and that the Japanese demanded that the keys to all bonded warehouses be delivered to them by yesterday noon. The circular stated further that the French authorities had protested but that the interested parties were to use their own discretion as to whether or not they would deliver their keys to the Japanese.
[Page 354]It is understood that the Japanese entered a number of private warehouses yesterday afternoon and removed certain cargoes. Details of these new seizures have not been obtained as yet.
This action constitutes a new violation of French sovereignty in Indochina and indicates the continuing helplessness of the French authorities. In this connection it is worthy of note that the arrival of the Yoshizawa mission has not prevented violations of French sovereignty (including the recent arrest of Annamites and Chinese at Saigon by the Japanese military) nor has it brought about the settlement of outstanding problems as yet. As previously reported the mission appears to be marking time and awaiting a clarification of the political situation in the Far East.
Sent to Cavite for repetition to the Department, Chungking, Peiping, Hong Kong, Shanghai; Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.