394.115 Panay/21: Telegram

The Ambassador in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State

35. Dr. Taylor of Anking telephoned again at 4:15, transmitted statement from Atcheson that survivors were in danger at Hohsien. Dr. Taylor stated that he thought danger was due to fighting there. Atcheson stated that Gassie62 had a wound in the leg. I, in fear63 of members Embassy staff unhurt. Department please inform Mrs. Paxton.64 British gunboat reported at 3 o’clock this afternoon that it had been off Hohsien for over half hour and could see no signs of life on north bank; that Standard Oil Company’s Meian was beached and deserted, apparently hit by bombs on bridge; that Panay’s outboard sampan had been recovered from mud half a mile below Meian; that Socony ship Meihsia was burning fiercely at Kaiyuan wharf on right bank of river and that Bee was proceeding to investigate.

Repeated Shanghai and Peiping. Peiping please repeat to Tokyo.

Johnson
  1. Emile P. Gassie, clerk of the Embassy in China.
  2. Sentence apparently garbled at this point.
  3. John Hall Paxton, Second Secretary of Embassy in China, received a knee injury.