893.0146/844: Telegram
The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 28—11:46 a.m.]
291. Peiping’s 194, June 12, 4 p.m., and despatch No. 2702 of June 14,47 agreement maintenance status quo Diplomatic Quarter, Peiping. The Commandants of the French and Italian Embassy guards signed yesterday a supplementary agreement as follows:
“In view of the French-Italian armistice and the withdrawal of British troops from China the undersigned consider it advisable and do hereby agree to revoke that portion of reference (a) relating to liberty on alternate days and that henceforth liberty and liberty areas will be as prescribed by the guard commanders concerned.”
Colonel Turnage, American and Senior Commandant who witnessed the signature of the supplementary agreement, stated that it is designed [Page 419] primarily to afford more liberty to the French and Italian guard personnel.
Present strength of Embassy guards in Peiping follow[s]: French, 2 officers and 32 men including 17 Annamites; Italian, 1 officer and 36 men; British, 9 enlisted men, chiefly signallers who do not wear military uniform.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Chungking, Tientsin, Shanghai. By air mail to Tokyo.
- Latter not printed.↩