893.512/899: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
2. Legation’s 828, November 13, 8 p.m.20 Department’s 384, November 15, 1 p.m.21 Upon the suggestion of the American Consul General at Canton, I earnestly recommend that I be authorized to forward the following note to the Nationalist authorities in Nanking as from the Department:
“Excellency: With reference to my note number 692 of November 13, 1928, I have the honor by direction of my Government to bring to the attention of Your Excellency the following message:
With reference to the illegal seizure and detentions at Canton on the part of the local authorities of two American vessels, the property of the Standard Oil Company, it is to be noted that although these vessels have at last been released, the American company concerned was deprived of the use of its property for a period of two months as the result of the arbitrary action of the Canton authorities. Not only were the essential rights of the company violated through the seizure of the vessels but the Finance Department of the Canton Government undertook to try the issues involved and to levy a heavy fine upon the company in patent contravention of existing treaties. The attitude furthermore of the Cantonese authorities in their unwillingness throughout this incident readily to meet and confer with the local representative of the American Government contributed in no small degree to the protracted delay in the release of the vessels.
The American Government cannot but record its profound dissatisfaction with the action of the Cantonese authorities in this matter, and to express hope that the Chinese Government will take effective measures to prevent any repetition [of] such an incident.’”
- Telegram in two sections.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. ii, p. 521.↩
- ibid., p. 522.↩