416
of
Stake for Foreign Affairs informed the Colonial Office that Messrs H. Birdseye and Company, Shipping Agents, had applied for permission to ship for the Webley and Scott Revolver and Arms Company
1118 WH so.
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3251
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Company how cases of revolvers for ultimate consignment to Messrs Ferguson of Wei-hai-Wei where they were to be sold in their store "principally to the officers and men of the British Army" and further stated that they had already been shipped to Hong-Kong.
That telegrams were accordingly despatched to the Governor of Hong-Kong on the 12th of January instructing him to prevent the re-exportation of the revolvers either to Wei-hai-Wei or Chefoo.
That on the 26th of January the Governor telegraphed that the revolvers were intended for the First Chinese Regiment and asked if there was any objection to their export.
That he was instructed by telegram on the 28th of January to verify that assertion by telegraphing to Wei-hai-Wei, and if he was satisfied to allow the cases to be forwarded. That the Board of Customs stated, on their authority, that two cases of revolvers, but without their ammunition, had already been shipped.