893.825/77
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 4.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Legation’s despatch No. 3421/76 of March 7, 1935, concerning the efforts of the Chinese Government to establish a new pilotage authority, and to report subsequent developments.
The Department will recall that the American and British Legations have submitted to the Chinese authorities the text of revised pilotage regulations which under certain conditions will be acceptable to them, and that the question of most importance at the present time has been the refusal of the Chinese authorities to agree to the appointment under the established practice of apprentice pilots to fill vacancies which have recently occurred among the members of the Pilots’ Association.
In his despatch to the Legation No. 651–Diplomatic of March 13, 1935, a copy of which is enclosed,16 the Counselor at Nanking reported the result of a further interview upon this subject with Dr. Tchou, Director of the Department of International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from which it would appear that the Chinese have found it almost impossible to come to any agreement with the Japanese on the subject of the revised pilotage regulations, but that Dr. Tchou promised to convey the Legation’s views regarding the appointment of apprentice pilots to the Director General of Customs.
In his telegram to the Legation of March 21, 4 p.m., the Consul [Page 800] General at Shanghai reported that he had been verbally informed by the Inspector General of Customs that authorization had been obtained to fill the vacancies in the Pilots’ Association in accordance with the regulations of 1868, and, in his telegram of March 22, 4 p.m., the Consul General reported the receipt of an informal and confidential letter from the Inspector General to the effect that the Chinese Government had instructed him to say that “in view of the emergency they will raise no objection to the proposed procedure of appointment on the understanding that such acquiescence is without prejudice to the Chinese Government’s previously declared attitude on this pilotage question”. Copies of these two telegrams are enclosed.19
As Mr. Cunningham appeared to desire the Legation’s instructions as to whether he should accept this démarche by the Inspector General as regular, the Legation, in an instruction of March 23, 11 a.m., a copy of which is enclosed,20 expressed its desire that the vacancies be filled in accordance with the established practice until the regulations have been modified by mutual agreement, and authorized Mr. Cunningham to acquiesce in the appointment of the three Chinese candidates provided they were to be appointed in accordance with that practice. Mr. Cunningham was also authorized, in the event that additional apprentices were to be appointed, to urge that one be an American if an American candidate were available.
In his despatch in reply, No. 8417, of April 6, 1935, a copy of which is enclosed,20 Mr. Cunningham reports subsequent developments which indicate that three Chinese candidates will be appointed under the established practice to fill the present vacancies, and that the next two vacancies occurring will be filled by foreigners, one of whom will be American and one Japanese.
Respectfully yours,