693.002/853: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:38 p.m.]
239. Telegram 253, March 31, 2 p.m., from Shanghai to the Department regarding Chinese customs. The British Diplomatic Mission supplied me last night with a copy of a note sent by [to?] the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs on April 4 as follows:
“Your Excellency, I have the honor, on instructions from His Majesty’s Ambassador in China, to inform Your Excellency that the Japanese continue to exercise pressure on the Inspector General of Customs for the appointment of additional Japanese to the senior posts in the Customs Service, as well as for further Japanese to be appointed to Kiungchow (Hainan). In the view of the Inspector General, the complete rejection of these demands (in accordance with the categorical instructions which he has received from Your Excellency) would result in independent Japanese action which would jeopardize the integrity of the service at an early date.
These instructions appear to place Sir Frederick Maze in an impossible position. The policy which he has so far followed, namely, resistance to the Japanese so long as may be practicable followed by concessions on a minor scale, constitutes in the existing circumstances the only method of preserving the integrity of the Customs Service regime permitting Sir Frederick Maze to retain his nominal control.
Your Excellency is aware that in view of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom the maintenance of that integrity as long as may be possible is in the interests of Great Britain and China alike; and I have accordingly been instructed to urge upon Your Excellency the acceptance of the views expressed by the Inspector General in his telegram No. 30 of March 16th, transmitted to you by His Majesty’s Consul General at Chungking.
I avail myself, et cetera.”
Referring to despatch 2022, February 28 from Shanghai to the Department70 and especially to the telegram from the Ministry of [Page 829] Finance to the Inspector General copied therein which states inter alia that the American Ambassador has requested of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs that foreign employees of the customs shall be engaged on a broad international basis, a search of the files of the Embassy for a year past fails to show the American Ambassador has been instructed to make or has made any such request.
Repeated to Shanghai and Peiping. Latter please mail to Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩