S.20474/8.6.
BIT.
7%.
SECUIT.
•h Veamber, 1926.
235
I am commanded by the Air Council to acquaint you, for the information of the Searatary of State for Foreign Affairs, that they have had under consideration Report No. 27 dated the 16th Ceteber 1926, from the Military Attache to K.I. Embassy at Tokyo, a copy of which was forwarded with Foreign cffias latter of the 10th instanf, F.8032/141/23.
#0
In this report Lieutenant Colonel Hill states that it is anticipated that the organisation of No. 8 Wing of the Japanese Filitary Air Forse will be completed early next year, and that if the move of this unit to Formosa taken place, it will probably occur as soon as the unit is ready. He further states that he has been informed by the American Military Attache that the fact that the move is contemplated has been reported to Washingtong and that the American legal authorities have ruled that in their opinion the stap would not constitube an infringement of the Washington Agreement. Subject to Jir Austen Chamberlain's concurrence, the Council would be glad if steps could be taken to ascertain whether the Kilitary Attache has been correctly informed as to the view of the legal authorities at Washington,
If the American view is that the Japanese can without infringing the terms of Article XIX of the Washington Agreement place military air forces in the island of Bermosa, or if the American Government is content to allow such a step to take plase without enquiry or protest, the Council suggest that it will be necessary to reconsider the position of H.M. Government im relation to the bearing of this question upon the establishment juder Secretary of State,
foreign office,
8.7.1.