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CHINA

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued

Date and

number

Subject

Page

1931 Feb. 3 (10)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

937

To the Legation: Report of firing upon Yangtze Rapid
Steamship Company vessels at Temple Hill and other points.

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

937

To the Legation: Report of firing upon the U. S. S. Oahu and upon the Mei Lu.

Feb. 4 (12)

Mar. 10 (115)

Mar. 10

Mar. 10

Mar. 10 (8)

From the Minister in China (tel.)

From Hankow: Report of a letter from Tvedt and one from
Nelson (text printed) telling of beatings at the hands of the
captors and their strong demands for ransom money. Sugges-
tion that a personal appeal to Chiang Kai-shek might stimu-
late the Chinese military to action or that the Department
might lodge a protest with Dr. Wu, the Chinese Minister in
Washington.

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs
of a Conversation With the Chinese Minister
Information for Dr. Wu that the American Minister in
China has been instructed to bring the matter of Nelson's
captivity to the attention of the highest Chinese authorities
and that the Department hopes that Dr. Wu will urge upon
his Government the importance of the matter.

To the Chinese Legation

Information of the treatment received by Nelson and Tvedt from the bandits, and expression of hope that the Chinese Government will make every possible effort to effect the release of the men.

To the Consul at Nanking (tel.)

938

939

939

940

For the Minister: Instructions to make urgent representations to the Foreign Minister with a view to effecting immediate release of Nelson and Tvedt.

Mar. 11

From the Minister in China (tel.)

940

To Hankow: Information that Foreign Minister is telegraphing authorities to use all means to effect release of the captives.

Mar. 12

From the Minister in China (tel.)

941

From Hankow: Information that Skinsnes (American missionary) has been advised to send medicines and money, but that bandit activities further complicate the situation.

Mar. 14 (21)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

941

To the Legation: Report of Skinsnes' activities and of a letter from Nelson expressing gratitude for the efforts to effect his release.

941

Mar. 16 (22)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Promise of General Ho Chen-chun that he would telegraph General Chao Kwan-tao to issue a permit for Dr. Skinsnes' messenger to carry medicines to the brigands' camp; belief that the only plan offering hope is sending money and medicines.

Mar. 17

From the Minister in China (tel.)

942

(142)

Information that the Foreign Ministry will permit dispatch of medicines for ransom of Nelson.

CHINA

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued

Date and

number

1931 Mar. 17 (23)

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From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

942

To the Legation: Receipt of telegram from Skinsnes (text printed) reporting a letter from the captives as to their location and state of health.

943

Mar. 23 (27)

Mar. 26 (170)

Mar. 28 (173)

Mar. 30 (178)

Apr. 2 (182)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Information that messengers carrying money and medicines were robbed by comrades of the escort, and that a brother of Nelson and two others have left for Macheng with an escort.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

From Hankow: Telegram from Nelson's brother and his party (text printed) reporting refusal of the Macheng authorities to do anything; opinion that more pressure should be exerted from Nanking.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

(From the Counselor of Legation.) Information from the Minister that he has sent a telegram to Hankow (text printed) advising of the Foreign Ministry's promises to order an advance against the Red brigands to effect the release of Nelson and Tvedt, and requesting Hankow's confirmation of General Hsia's receipt of the orders and his action.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

(From the Counselor of Legation.) Hankow's telegram to the Minister at Nanking (text printed), advising that Nelson's brother has telegraphed from Macheng that General Hsia Touying has left for Hankow.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

(From the Counselor of Legation.) From Hankow: Tele-
gram to Nanking (text printed) advising of the impression that
the burden of rescuing the captives and suppressing the bandits
has been placed upon Generals Li Ming-chung and Ho Chen-
chun;
belief that a drive will be started soon.
From the Minister in China

943

944

944

945

Apr. 2 (914)

945

Review of correspondence and action taken in connection with the occupation by Chinese troops of mission property in Kiangsi and other places.

Apr. 6 (32)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

952

To the Legation: Report of firing upon Iling above Ichang and of rumors of fighting in Szechuan between Liu Hsiang and Teng Shih-an factions.

Apr. 7

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

953

Apr. 8

To the Legation: Report of higher demands by bandits for
the release of Nelson and Tvedt, and of plan for paying ransom
through secret agents on condition that the captives are de-
livered to a designated point first.

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs
of a Conversation With the Chinese Minister
Expression of hope by Mr. Hornbeck that Nelson would be
released soon; also that the Chinese Minister would give some
thought to a memorandum handed to him on the Chinese
occupation of mission property in Fukien Province.

953

CHINA

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued

Date and

number

Subject

Page

1931

Apr. 9 (34)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

954

To the Legation: Report of firing upon the Iping by Government troops; opinion that an effort was being made to stop the vessel for search for Communists.

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

954

Apr. 13 (35)

Apr. 13

To the Legation: Details of the firing upon the Iping and
the casualties inflicted by the armed guard from the U. S. S.
Guam in returning the fire. Information that General Koh
has requested that representations be made to the American
Minister.

From the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American
Minister in China

Transmittal of telegram from the Ichang Area Garrison
Headquarters (text printed) concerning the Iping incident, and
request for U. S. investigation and assurance that such inci-
dents will not recur.

Apr. 18 From the American Minister in China to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Reply to the Chinese representations concerning the Iping; with explanation as to the firing by the armed guard; expression of regret for the incident, which was due apparently to a misunderstanding and the lack of information regarding Chinese procedure.

Apr. 18 From the American Minister in China to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Protest to the Chinese Government concerning the boarding and commandeering of a Yangtze Rapid Steamship Company vessel by Government troops, and request that instructions be issued to prevent recurrence.

Apr. 20 Memorandum by the Minister in China

Conversation with the Foreign Minister, who was informed in an aide-mémoire of the capture by bandits of Esther Nordlund, an American citizen, and other missionaries.

955

956

957

957

(Footnote: Report as to release of the missionaries later.)

Apr. 20 (38)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

959

To the Legation: Report of the release of Tvedt on payment of $6,500 by mission authorities, and of prospect for early release of Nelson.

Apr. 21 (39)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

959

May 1

To the Legation: New demands of the bandits for gramo-
phone records and other articles for the release of Nelson.
From the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American
Minister in China

959

May 4 (43)

Transmittal of another communication from the Ichang
Area Garrison Headquarters (text printed) concerning the
Iping incident. Reservation of right to claim indemnification
for Chinese losses.

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Report that bandits have declined to release Nelson and are making further demands; that military operations have been started against Red brigands by Government troops.

960

CHINA

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued

Date and

number

1931 May 11 (46)

Subject

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Receipt of a telegram from Sungpu (text printed) reporting delay of messengers; information that military would not permit the delivery of materials for the ransom of Nelson.

From the Consul General at Canton (tel.)

Page

961

May 20

961

Report of fighting in Hainan and of British Consul General's request for naval assistance.

May 24

From the Consul General at Canton (tel.)

962

Information that all American missionaries at Hoihow are safe; that the British vessel Somme will remain at Hoihow until the situation is normal.

May 29 (49)

962

June 9 (328)

June 11 (54)

June 16

June 23

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Information that the go-between has not secured the release of Nelson but is returning to the bandits' headquarters to insist on his release on the conditions previously named and met.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

From Foochow: Information that the Fifty-sixth National Division is planning to make a stand against the Reds and is outnumbered; request for a U. S. naval vessel at Foochow to afford the Consulate some means of communication with the Legation.

(Footnote: Dispatch of the U. S. S. Pillsbury to Foochow.) From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

To the Legation: Information that Nelson is well, that
bandits have decided to keep him as an English teacher but
are making still further demands for various articles.

From the American Consul General at Hankow to the Chinese
Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government
Account of the halting and boarding of a Yangtze Rapid
Steamship Company vessel under the authority of martial
law, of which no notification had been given; request that the
Consulate at Hankow be informed of search barriers or pro-
hibited sailings in Hunan Province so that American shipping
companies may be notified.

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs
of a Conversation With the Apostolic Delegate to China
Discussion concerning the safety of missionaries in China,
and related problems.

962

963

964

965

June 23 (311)

From the American Minister in China to the Chinese Minister for
Foreign Affairs

969

July 8 (397)

Reply to Chinese note of May 1 in regard to the Iping incident; request for advance notice on the institution of new procedure in order to avoid such incidents.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

Information that the Chinese Government has formally fixed 12 nautical miles as a limit for the customs preventive service; assumption that Department will wish the Foreign Office to be informed that it cannot accept a unilateral claim of sovereignty beyond the customary 3-mile limit.

970

CHINA

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued

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1931 July 22 (238)

To the Minister in China (tel.)

Page

971

Instructions (in reply to the telegram, supra) that for the present no protest need be made.

July 31 From the Minister in China to the Consul General at Nanking

Aug. 13 (L-71)

Aug. 31 (91)

Oct. 17 (94)

Nov. 25 (1005)

Nov. 28 (442)

Dec. 12 (125)

Aide-mémoire for the Chinese Foreign Ministry (text printed) making representations in regard to the occupation and destruction of American mission property by Chinese troops.

From the Consul General at Nanking to the Minister in China

Delivery to the Foreign Minister of Department's aidemémoire, with explanation that U. S. Government reserves the right to claim damages for losses inflicted by Chinese troops. From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

Report of Communist firing upon a Standard Oil Company vessel and other Communist movements; opinion that the situation at Hankow may require increase of American naval forces for protection of Americans.

To the Consul General at Nanking (tel.)

For the Minister: Suggestion that on some appropriate occasion the Nelson case be taken up with the Foreign Ministry.

From the Minister in China (tel.)

Information from Hankow that bandits consider Nelson a very important person and believe that he or his mission could raise an additional $50,000 if necessary; request of Consul General at Hankow for authorization to send a communication to the bandits minimizing the importance of Nelson and stating that the American Government has never considered paying ransom for Nelson nor for any other American citizen in China; opinion of the Minister that this communication would be unwise, and request for Department's views.

To the Minister in China (tel.)

Department's opinion that communication should not be addressed to the bandits by the Consul General but that it might be addressed to Dr. Skinsnes, who might see that the substance became known to the bandits. Caution against any action that would lead the bandits to consider that the life and safety of Nelson are not of concern to the American Government.

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

971

973

974

975

975

977

Dec. 18 (128)

978

Report that Chinese soldiers of salt revenue guard boarded American motor vessel Ifung, and that upon their refusal to leave, American armed guard exploded tear gas bombs.

From the Consul General at Nanking (tel.)

978

Advice that Consulate General has circulated a letter to American citizens in the Kiangsu and Anhwei areas, advising them to retire from the interior unless, for exceptional reasons, they believe protection can and will be afforded them.

Dec. 23 (127)

From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.)

Information that no representations have been made by the Chinese regarding the Ifung incident and are not believed likely.

979

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