811.5293/4–2347: Telegram

The Consul General at Shanghai (Davis) to the Secretary of State

1012. Shanghai municipal land authorities fixed time limit April 30, 1947, for registration foreign-owned land rights in city but will grant extension upon request Consuls for land owners not in Shanghai. ConGen notified land authorities many Americans not yet returned and may not know of requirements and ConGen will notify authorities in such cases as they come to its attention.

Penalty provided by land law for failure to register within time limit is confiscation of land. However land law provides period of 2 months after time limit during which owners may claim land. Suggest Department might give publicity to matter in U. S. for benefit American land owners who may not know requirements for registration. Details follow by despatch.9

Sent Dept, repeated Nanking as 717.

Davis
  1. Despatch No. 1126, April 24, not printed.