693.116/74: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 15—5:15 a.m.]
686. Legation’s 665, August 9, 11 a.m.
1. Following instruction has been repeated to the Consul General at Canton:
“August 15, 1 p.m. The Legation realizes the difficulties you are encountering because of the special circumstances involved and desires that in consultation with your British colleague you use your discretion as to the amount and the method of the pressure to be brought in Canton.
(2) The Legation understands that the British Government views these restrictions with concern similar to that expressed by the Department.”
2. The following telegram has been received from Counselor, Nanking:
“August 12, 11 a.m. Inferring from the Legation’s August 5, 11 a.m. and earlier telegrams that the Legation would approve the action I orally asked the Foreign Office August 11, noon, to send instructions to its representative at Canton in the sense of the penultimate paragraph of Canton’s August 10, 3 p.m. I have been informed that Foreign Office telegraphed its representative on August 11 directing him to ask the Canton authorities to delay enforcement of the oil regulations until a definite plan has been reached in the discussion between the Foreign Office and the Legation regarding the bearing of the treaties on the issue. British Legation’s Nanking representative informed.
Repeated to Canton.”