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at Pao Ch’ang made contact with the bandits and declared that they had now reduced their ransom from £8,000 to £3,400.

On his arrival in Peking Dr Müller stated that Mr Jones was in no personal danger and the government of Chahar province would pay whatever ransom was necessary.  He added that:  “Gareth Jones was safe from bodily harm although once a rope was put round his neck and he was threatened with hanging.  Although young and new to the country, he behaved splendidly and never lost his nerve”.

Meanwhile Major Takahashi, the Japanese Attaché at Peking, gave orders instructing the Kwantung troops in Jehol and the Japanese military mission in Kalgan to co-operate with the Chinese in their efforts to secure Jones’ release.  These efforts included sending out Japanese search parties.  Lieut. Millar, Assistant Military Attaché in Peking, left for Kalgan to join Capt. Scott, both of whom were expert linguists.  It was stated that Jones had been warned not to attempt to go to Dolonor from Mongolia. 

Friday 2nd August - a newspaper correspondent from the port of Dairen (Dalien), in the Japanese territory of Manchukuo reported in The Western Mail and South Wales News that authoritative sources considered: 

Mr Gareth Jones is not being held purely for a ransom, but he is a victim of international complications.  The British journalist was thought to be a secret agent with confidential material and had penetrated into secret territory.  Chahar Province is a disturbed region on the Sino-Manchukuo frontier border in which the Japanese, Russians and Chinese are striving for predominance and his [Gareth’s] presence as an independent observer is feared … When all sides are assured that Mr Jones is not a secret agent, possessing confidential information, he will be released.  The Japanese authorities explained to me that they secured a promise that Mr Jones would eventually be freed, though the ransom was not determined.

The Press Breaks the News of the Capture.