793.94/9034: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 28—6 a.m.]
312. 1. A member of the Embassy staff called on the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy this morning and stated that American, British, French, and Italian diplomatic representatives and commandants of the guards conferred last evening; that they had authorized the American Embassy (a) to inform the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy of the view of those conferring that the maintaining of strong position [strict neutrality] in the Legation quarter is of vital importance; (b) to express their hope that the Japanese would not in the slightest degree use the Legation quarter as a base for the military operations but [Page 284] only as a refuge for foreign nationals; and (c) to point out the very dangerous possibilities which might follow if Japanese sorties were made from the Legation quarter with subsequent retreats into the quarter.
2. The Japanese Counselor stated that he understood and concurred in the views, that strict neutrality would be maintained, and that sorties would not be made.
Repeated to Nanking. Repeated to Tokyo via Nanking.