811.7193/55a Suppl.: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
631. Reference Department’s 571, September 8, 6 p.m., interference with American mails. The National City Bank of New York has informed the Department that mails containing drafts valued at over $300,000 dispatched to them by their Tientsin branch between the period June 18 to July 30 on the Japanese vessels mentioned below have not yet been received: Awata Maru, Heian Maru, Nitta Maru, Kimikawa Maru, Nozima Maru, Asama Maru, Bordeaux Maru, Hiei Maru, Kango Maru, Tatuta Maru, Hikawa Maru, Yusya Maru; that mails involving documentary bills valued at about one-quarter of a million dollars, dispatched by the Yokohama, Kobe and Tokyo branches of the bank between July 7 and July 30, are still missing; and that mails pertaining to bills amounting to $14,000 negotiated by the Peiping Branch of the bank are also unaccounted for.
The Department assumes that you have already taken up with the Foreign Office the question of interference with American mails as outlined in the Department’s telegram under reference. The Department desires that you approach the Foreign Office again on this matter; bring to its attention the additional information given above; and ascertain what steps have been taken to release American mails detained by Japanese authorities or their agents.35
Sent to Tokyo via Peiping and naval radio. Repeated to Chungking, Tientsin, and Shanghai.
- In telegram No. 1575, October 6, 4 p.m., Ambassador Grew reported that representations were made on September 11, September 30, and October 6 (811.7193/60).↩