893.102 Kulangsu/253: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 10—8:30 a.m.]
468. Department’s 190, September 6, 7 p.m., to Peiping regarding Kulangsu situation.
[Page 157]1. I wish to invite attention to the first sentence of the instructions sent on July 25 by the Foreign Office to the Japanese Consul (general at Amoy, reported textually in our 431, August 24, 4 p.m. I am told that with the appointment of a Japanese inspector and of at least one constable the Japanese are not only prepared but anxious to liquidate the situation. The Japanese have in effect withdrawn their other demands, but if [as] indicated in Amoy’s August 23, 8 p.m., the Municipal Council insists on a formal, as I believe, withdrawal of such demands or guarantees that they will not be presented in the future, I see no prospect whatever of an amicable settlement.
2. Amoy’s August 31, noon, gives three reasons why the Japanese proposition could not be considered by the Municipal Council:
- (a)
- With regard to the first reason the Foreign Office informed me on August 23 that Uchida’s threatening statements had been disapproved by Tokyo and that he had been directed to retract them. I would be interested to know whether he has done so and whether there has been any change for the better in his attitude. The removal of the blockade is discussed in the next paragraph.
- (b)
- With regard to the third reason the Foreign Office states that it is difficult to understand how the impression prevails that the salaries of the Japanese police officers would be paid by the Japanese Government, as it has been explained by Uchida that additional funds sufficient to pay those salaries would again accrue to the Concession by the Amoy Chinese municipality resuming purchase from Kulangsu of refuse and garbage.
3. I have suggested to the Foreign Office Uchida has given the impression that acceptance of the Japanese proposition is a condition sine qua non to the removal of the blockade and that therefore some formula should be found to dissociate completely the two questions.
The Foreign Office seems quite pleased with the suggestion and informs me that after consultation with the Navy Department fresh instructions will be sent to Amoy.
4. If there is expectation at Amoy that satisfactory settlement can be promoted by informal discussions in Tokyo, it must be realized that the Municipal Council cannot insist on closing the only avenues by which the Japanese can escape with some degree of grace from a situation with which they seem to be thoroughly fed up.
5. When the suggestion was originally put forward that the landing parties be withdrawn, it was realized that the project could be successfully carried out only if it were considered as a self-contained problem and without reference to other problems. This was not done. As a general settlement seems to be within reach, given further goodwill on both sides, I have not made any new approach to the Foreign Office on the question of withdrawal of landing parties.
[Page 158]Sent to the Department via Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Chungking, Amoy and Peiping.