124.931/618
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 21.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my telegram number 430 dated October 31, 12 noon, in reply to the Department’s telegram number 240, dated October 11, 5 p.m.71 and to report the following details regarding the damage sustained as a result of Japanese bombing to American owned real property used as an Embassy staff residence.
The damage to the house in question occurred on the morning of July 30, 1941, when Japanese planes bombed the village of Haitangchi on the south bank of the Yangtze river immediately outside the so called safety zone. The Embassy staff residence is located less than half a mile from where the bombs were dropped.
The concussion from the explosion knocked plaster off the ceilings in two bed rooms, caused part of a roof over a sleeping porch to collapse, blew out a section of a wall between the dining room and pantry and broke glass window panes.
The contractor who inspected the damage gave an estimate of $1,800 (Chinese national currency), which is equivalent to US$95.65 at the official rate, as the cost for making the necessary repairs. In as much as prices are rising so rapidly in Chungking the contractor stated that no guarantee can be given that the work can be done for that price at some subsequent date.
Respectfully yours,
- Neither printed.↩