125.9532: Telegram
The Consul at Tsingtao (Hawthorne) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 18—5:19 a. m.]
274. Learned that CCMIK [Chinese Communist Military?] occupants property concerned propose remove certain fuels therefrom; I caused delivery following unsigned memo to Foreign Affairs section June 17:
“I was pleased to hear the repeated assurances that the People’s Army and Government intend to protect foreign properties. In this connection, the gasoline and kerosene stored in the compound at Nr. 1 Kwangsi Road is the property of the American Consulate General [Page 1126] at Tsingtao, having been bought and stored at its present location by this office. I therefore trust that this fuel will not be removed from its present place of storage on American Government-owned property. Needless to say, I cannot acquiesce in the removal of this fuel to any other place of storage, and should it be removed without my authority I can only consider such action as confiscation, unless appropriate receipts are given and written authority granted for withdrawals by me of fuels as needed from the new place of storage.”
Anticipate increasing difficulties retaining possession US Government properties, equipment and supplies at this post. I received indirect inquiries as to where American Admiral used to live and status property 9 Shanhaikuan Road.68 I have replied property purchased by Department for FS69 use but that as courtesy to senior American official Admiral permitted live there. I pointed out that even during his occupancy Department spent some $25,000 furnishing house.
Repeated Nanking 195, Shanghai 112.
- For documentation concerning withdrawal of U.S. Naval forces from Tsingtao, see vol. ix, pp. 1191 ff.↩
- Foreign Service.↩