793.94/10909: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31—11:44 a.m.]
916. This noon at the instance of Admiral Yarnell I requested the Japanese Consul General to communicate to General Matsui, the Japanese Military Commander in Chief, the request of the American, British and French Admirals and Italian and Dutch Naval Commanders for a meeting to discuss the serious situation in the Settlement areas resulting from indiscriminate firing. It was requested that the meeting be arranged for today or tomorrow morning, the Admirals being willing if necessary to go as far as Woosung for the purpose. This evening at 5:40 o’clock the Japanese Consul General informed me that a special officer sent by the Military Attaché of the [Page 375] Japanese Embassy to communicate the request to General Matsui had just returned with Matsui’s reply to the effect that he regretted very much that because of military exigencies he can not have the pleasure of meeting the Admirals before November 10th. I report matter at the request of the Commander in Chief.
Sent to the Department. Repeat to Embassy at Tokyo.