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  4. Document 866

611.9331/4–549: Telegram

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

Shanghai, April 5, 1949—9 p. m.
[Received April 5—12:23 a. m.]

1084. For Sprouse, Merrill Gay. ConGen feels, and Embassy Nanking concurs, ConGens Peiping, Tientsin should make known willingness perform all usual consular functions. Mytel April l,37 Tientsin 179 to Department38 listing cargo SS China Victory adding invoices not certified, Tientsin’s unnumbered March 31, 4 p. m., via Department39 re invoice and shipping, Deptel 121 to Peiping for Tientsin as 55, March 12, and Department Circtel April 1, 3 p. m. [a. m.] However, ConGen Shanghai will refuse certify invoices for cargo shipped abroad direct from Tientsin, and will place under greater surveillance cargo obviously North China origin shipped from Shanghai for which invoices presented here.

Hinke40 and Fleming41 suggest Department immediately authorize ConGens Shanghai and Hong Kong request all American ships calling Taku Bar, especially APL, US Lines and American Mail Line, require as condition [of] call execution marine notes protest and physical deposit ships’ papers at ConGen or, if ships’ time too short, require consular call ship board perform these services.

Ships’ agents customarily supply, frequently as per ships’ departure, details ships’ daily journal Customs clearance AmConGen Tientsin for all American ships calling Taku Bar without physical deposit ships papers due 35 miles distance travel inconvenience.

Believe procedure warranted [by] FS42 regulations, unusual conditions Tientsin, helpful establish consular authority over American ships and facilitate receipt, despatch consular mails.

Suggest AmConGen Tientsin comment Shanghai and Department direct feasibility this procedure as phase general efforts establish [Page 930] ConGen Tientsin normal functioning.

Peiping please pass Tientsin.

Sent Department, pouched Nanking 633, passed Peiping and Hong Kong.

Cabot
  1. No. 1053, not printed; it suggested that the Consulate General at Tientsin notify local shippers it would certify consular invoices covering direct shipments from Tientsin (143.4/4–149).↩
  2. Not printed; but see footnote 15 to telegram No. 178, March 28, from the Consul General at Tientsin, p. 921.↩
  3. This repeated telegram No. 178, March 28, from the Consul General at Tientsin, p. 921.↩
  4. Frederick W. Hinke, Consul and Commercial Attaché at Shanghai.↩
  5. Andrew C. Fleming, Consular Attaché at Shanghai.↩
  6. Foreign Service.↩