494.11 L 25/13: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Woods) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 1—8:35 a.m.]
60. Your instruction no. 110, March 4th.78 As previously reported, I have been urging upon Foreign Office the settlement of Langdon case and today have received a lengthy communication on the subject from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, copies of which will be forwarded in the next pouch. In this note he says:
“The Japanese Government have no objection whatever to giving a sum of money to the surviving relatives of Lieutenant Langdon as an expression of their condolence and consolation if so desired by them. If, however, the payment of a considerable amount is now to be demanded by way of indemnification, it would compel us to go back into and discuss the causes and circumstances leading to this unfortunate affair. In that event a considerable length of time will further be required in order to achieve its settlement with the result of this unhappy incident provoking afresh the irritation of public opinion in our two countries.
Accordingly the Japanese Government, wholly actuated by a spirit of genuine friendship, proposes to present a sum of $15,000 to the surviving relatives of Lieutenant Langdon as an expression of condolence and consolation with a view to arriving at a speedy settlement of the present case. I beg to express the hope that in full appreciation of the foregoing circumstances, your Government will see their way to accept this proposal.”
[Paraphrase.] My opinion is that it will be expedient for obvious reasons to accept this offer.
- Not printed.↩