'That evening, Rengo, at the stated request of the Japanese Coosulate-General and the Naval Landing Party, issued an official statement slying the following explanation:—'A foreign newspaper man, Mr. Alexander H. Buchman, who,' apparently had been reporting on the maneuvres held by. the Landing Party, attempted to take photographs of, armoured cars entering the tank and car sheds at the barracks. The photographing of the interior of the sheds being strictly prohibited for military reasons, an officer on guard asked the newspaper man to desist.
The lattes, nevertheless, proceeded 10 take a photograph, whereupon, the guard was compelled to intervene. After a lengthy discussion, during which both seemed to have' marked ldifneuities in understanding each Jother, Mr. Buchmtn was taken to fneadquarters, where he was formally lasked to hand over the negatives from his camera. This, Mr. Buchman refused to. do, The Landing Party authorities being desirous of settling the matter in the most peaceful moaner and, in view of the difficulty Gri both sides in making. each other understood, saw no othe: way to proceed but to request M: Buchman to stay there while th. were getting in touch with the Japanese consular authorities, who, turn, notified the American' Consulate-General. Mr. Buchman, in the meanwhile was permitted to communicate by telephone to all persons he wished to notify.
'A. representative of the Japanese! Consulate-General immediately went to the Naval Landing Party headquarters and saw Mr. Buchman, who sUll steadfastly refused to hand over the negatives. The arrival of an American official, however, brought 4 speedy and friendly settlement, The negatives were handed over by this official to the Japanese naval authorities and Mr. Buchman left the premises. At no time was he placed lurider arrest or detention, being lreated throughout the proceedings with courtesy and consideration.
The Japanese naval authorities have expressed their deep appreciation of the equitable and considerate altitude of the American authorities and their satisfaction at the prompt settlement of this matter, to which they attach no further importance, Protest Against Detention 'A protest was lodged with Mr. edwin S. Cunningham, "American Consul-General, on Saturday morning by Mr. Buchman.
The protest was contained in a fetter which Mr. Buchman personally handed over to Mr. Cunningham, the etter being accompanied by a sworn Jamdavit. According to Mr. Buch-man, Mfr. Cunningham had promised him "to investigate the matter.
Mr. Buchman's letter of protest tollo "Shanghai, December 15, 1094, esta. Eawin S. Cunningham, JAmerican Consul-General "Dear Mr. Cunningham:
"Yesterday morning, December 14, fin discharge of a standing assignment from the 'China Press,' which Jemploys me as a reporter, 'I took photographs of the manquvres being jearried out in the Hongkew district by the Japanese Naval Landing Party.
"After I had taken the pictures, was forcibly apprehended by three JJapanese bluejackets on Kiangwan Road and taken to the nearby Japanese naval barracks. There [Sapanese naval emeers, laier_reinforced by Mr. A. Teresaki, Japan-lose vice-consul, said that I would have to surrender the negatives of the pictures 1 had taken.
communicated with the city Jeditor of the 'China Press,' who in turn got in touch with' Mr. Edward IL. Faupel, United States "Marshal. [The latter proceeded to the Japanjes Naval Barracks and against my felear and emphatic protest forcibly took the negatives from me and handed them over to the Japanese, authorities.
Alleged Illegal Action details of the entire' in-published in the form of personal statement by me, a elipping of which I herewith inclose.
wish to register an emphatic protest against the entirely illegal faction of the United States Mar-Jshal in forcibly seizing the negatives from me and handing them lover to the Japanese authorities und request that you transmit this protos to the appropriate quarter i is-not within your prerogative to deal with it,
equally, emphatic protest against "Furthermore, 1 wish to enter an) the action of the Japanese naval authorities in illegally arresting me Jand detaining me for two and a fhatt hours, and again request that this protest be sent to the appropriate [quarter if it is not within your prerogative to deal with it. "This arrest and detention, it should be Jnoted, occurred on an extra-Settle-[ment road in Chinese territory.
'"T-shall feet obliged if you will jake official cognizance of these: complaints and inform me, in writ-ug, what action has been taken to secure restitution and to ensure that will be duly protected i the future against the possibility of a [recurrence of such wholly arbitrary Jand illegal sets, both on the part of the Japanese and the American "A. H. Bucisian"
GENERAL WEN cHAO-CHIAM, the newly-appointed Commissioner of ihe Pubite Safety Burest
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.