393.115/9–2449
The Acting Secretary of State to the Charge in China (Strong)
TelCan 702. Pls most urgently transmit to the FonOff, after referring to your conversation with Director Amer Section FonOff reported Cantel 1134, Sep 21, a note containing fol statements:
“U.S. Government has investigated the circumstances surrounding the entry into the port of Shanghai of the Flying Independent and the Flying Clipper, American flag ships, the former of which was intercepted by a Chinese naval vessel at the entrance of the Yangtze river, Sep 18, 1949 and desires to clarify the facts in order that no untoward incident might later result. U.S. Government desires to point out at the outset that information in its possession, in addition to that obtained from the logs of the vessels concerned, and from affidavits by the masters of the vessels, is of such a character that it is not open to be controverted by the Chinese Government.
The affidavit by the Master of the Flying Independent states that he complied immediately with the Chinese naval vessel’s signal to anchor and in the course of an exchange of signals which followed, the Master informed the naval vessel that the Flying Independent carried mail for the American Consulate and wished to proceed Shanghai to bring out Americans. After an hour’s delay the Chinese naval vessel signalled permission to proceed. The affidavit by the Master of the Flying Independent denies that he made any reference to any agreement between the U.S. and Chinese Governments whereby his ship was to proceed to Shanghai to evacuate U.S. nationals and further denies that he was escorted into the Yangtze river by the Chinese naval vessel. The affidavit by the Master of the Flying Clipper states that he exchanged no messages with the Chinese naval vessel; that he passed 150 yards astern of the naval vessel and proceeded into Shanghai without escort or interference. The U.S. Consulate General at Shanghai has examined log books of both vessels which corroborate affidavits by the masters. The U.S. Consulate General has also reported as being true the statements that the ship had tentative bookings for American passengers and that the ship brought mail for the American Consulate General.
On the basis of the affidavits executed by the vessels’ masters, the advance publicity given to the call of the vessels at Shanghai, and other supporting facts, the U.S. Government is of the opinion that the Chinese Government has lacked full knowledge of the facts relating to this matter.”75
- The Department in its telegram telCan No. 703, September 27, 2 p. m., instructed the Chargé to “transmit to FonOff additional oral message from this Govt in re Flying Independent and the Flying Clipper to effect that US Govt stands by position taken in Embs note of June 28, 1949 to Chinese Govt” (see telegram telCan No. 384, June 24, p. 1104.↩