393.1115/8–2649: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Strong) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 27—12:33 a. m.]
Cantel 1030. TelCan 550, August 11, repeated Shanghai 1582, Nanking 945, and Cantel 953, August 15. Following note dated August 24 received [from] Foreign Office:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the American Embassy and has the honor to state that with reference to the Embassy’s aide-mémoire of August 15, 1949,47 concerning the matter of the American Government’s sending a ship to Shanghai to evacuate alien nationals and bring in relief supplies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consulted with and obtained the agreement of the competent authorities that the American Government may send a ship to Shanghai to evacuate foreign nationals under the following conditions:
- “(1) Only one ship may be sent for the evacuation of foreign nationals and the evacuation of foreign nationals desirous of leaving must be completed in one operation;
- “(2) The evacuation ship must first sail to Chou Shan Chun Island48 and arrange with the Chinese Navy’s First Squadron the method of entering and leaving (Shanghai) and the Chinese Navy will send two Chinese naval officers to board the evacuation ship and will also send a warship as an escort in order to assure safety;
- “(3) The evacuation vessel’s name, tonnage, markings schedule passenger cabins, capacity cargo, number of ship personnel, and foreign nationals must beforehand be reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for transmittal to the Chinese Navy and Air Force Headquarters;
- “(4) The nature and amount of the cargo must be limited to supplies for the necessary use of the ship’s personnel and the evacuees. The amount and the nature of the goods must be clearly listed and the list sent to the Chinese Government for inspection and these goods may not be shipped in until the Government’s permission is given. The Chinese Government must also send officials to board the vessel to inspect the cargo in order to ascertain whether or not it corresponds with that shown on the list. The Chinese Government’s competent authorities have already ordered naval headquarters to give necessary assistance to the evacuation ship in regard to the purchase of foodstuffs and fresh vegetables.
“The Chinese Government emphasizes that the above-mentioned privileged treatment is based on humanitarian considerations and cannot be considered as changing or influencing the Chinese Government’s previously expressed firm attitude on the closure of seaports.”
Identical note handed British same date reference numbered paragraph 2 of note, point of inspection will be off harbor of Tinghai. Inspection mentioned in numbered paragraphs 2 and 4 is one and the same. In numbered paragraph 4 the term “cargo” includes that which is to be landed at Shanghai to enable the evacuees to settle their obligations.
Foreign Office verbally accepts the Gordon as repatriation vessel and suggests that a note formally proposing the Gordon be submitted in the near future. Thereafter it is up to the evacuees promptly to name types and amounts of supplies to be imported into Shanghai. At such time as the consolidated list is presented to the Foreign Office it guarantees prompt decision.
Within the terms of note quoted above the Nationalist Government seems obviously to desire to expedite in every way possible the entry of one evacuation ship into Shanghai.
Sent Department; repeated Shanghai 518, Nanking 655.