793.94112/310: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss)
74. Your 70, January 24, 6 p.m., and Department’s 43, January 27, 2 p.m., opening of Yangtze. The British Embassy here has informed the Department57 of an approach to the British Embassy to China by the Inspector General of Customs along the lines of the approach described in your telegram under reference. The British Embassy stated that the British Ambassador to China felt that no approach should be made to the Chinese Minister of Finance until the Inspector General of Customs had informed the British Embassy of his intention to ask for instructions. The British Embassy asked whether this Government would support the British Government in urging the Chinese Government not to instruct the Inspector General of Customs to refrain from opening the customhouses at Chinkiang and Nanking.
In reply the Department gave the British Government the substance of its telegram under reference and added that, if and when the Inspector General of Customs should inform the American Consul at Shanghai of his intention to ask the appropriate Chinese authorities for instructions, this Government would, in the light of the situation then existing, be willing to give the question of its attitude in the matter further consideration.
Sent to Shanghai. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping. Peiping please send cipher text to Tokyo by air mail.
- By aide-mémoire of February 14, not printed.↩