793.94/9279: Telegram
The Consul General at Hankow (Josselyn) to the Secretary of State
Hankow, August 10, 1937—6
p.m.
[Received 7:55 p.m.]
[Received 7:55 p.m.]
- 1.
- The agreement between the Mayor and the Acting Japanese Consul General referred to in my August 7, 10 a.m. provided as follows: (1) While the Japanese naval forces are being evacuated, the Chinese authorities will undertake to stop communication between Japanese Concession and surrounding areas; (2) members of the Japanese consular and police force including the consular officers at Hankow, Chungking, Changsha, Ichang and Shasi will remain at Hankow for the time being; (3) a Japanese merchant vessel will remain in Hankow for the final evacuation of the consular officers; (4) following evacuation of the Japanese Navy, 30 Chinese police will be sent to the Japanese Concession to maintain order in cooperation with the Japanese police; (5) after the evacuation of the Japanese consular officers, which will be effected when final instructions are received from Tokyo, the Hankow municipal authorities will take over the administration of the Japanese Concession upon the request of the Japanese Consul General.
- 2.
- In accordance with the above agreement, five Japanese naval vessels and two Japanese merchant vessels left Hankow for Shanghai on August 7 and August 8 taking all Japanese, both civilians and military, from the Japanese Concession and other parts of Hankow except those mentioned in clause 2 above. One Japanese merchant vessel still remains at Hankow as provided in clause 3 above. I have learned from the Mayor that he was informed today by the Acting Japanese Consul General that final evacuation of the consular officers mentioned in clause 2 will take place tomorrow, August 11, and that in accordance with clause 5 the Hankow municipal authorities will take over the administration of the Japanese Concession as from that date.
- 3.
- This office has been able to obtain no authoritative information concerning alleged movement of Communist army from Shensi into Suiyuan although Japanese press reports to that effect had appeared as early as July 25.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Nanking, Peiping, and Shanghai.
Josselyn