793.94/5744: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 13—6:52 a.m.]
47. Conditions Peiping-Tientsin-Chinwangtao remain quiet. Chinese soldiers fired on two Italian sailors attempting to pass through lines at Chinwangtao, by arrangement [but?] have apologized. Chinese troops continue to pour into area Tientsin-Tangshan-Chinwangtao [Page 53] Chinwangtao arriving by Peiping-Hankow Railway and proceeding Peiping-Tientsin Railway.
Hallett Abend71 informed me this morning that Japanese commandant at Tientsin in interview with him yesterday stated that Japanese had no intention to advance but that they could not remain oblivious to threat of continued movement of Chinese troops and might be forced to occupy Peiping-Suiyuan Railway.
- Chief correspondent for the New York Times in China.↩