KRXX
93
216
CONFIDENTIAL.
Copy to H.M. Minister, Peking (31)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG.
14th June, 1935.
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to your
Confidential despatch of 17th April, 1935, requesting further information desired by the Foreign Office
with regard to two consignments of arms and ammunition
imported from the United States of America for Canton via Hong Kong.
2.
I attach copies of the contracts referred
2 Enclosures. to, and would make particular reference to the condition
Bib
Copy 14 mall. to F.O.
(3)
(6)
(2)
that shipment of the goods was to be made "from United
States through cargo for Canton". This was interpreted
as indicating that the fact of the ultimate destination
of the arms being Canton would be known to the United
States authorities; it now appears from the fourth
paragraph of Foreign Office despatch of 19th February,
1935, copy of which was sent under your Confidential
despatch of 7th March, 1935, that this interpretation
was erroneous.
3.
It would appear that this is precisely the kind of loophole which will be effectively stopped
by the adoption of the method suggested in Sir William Peel's Confidential despatch of 14th January, 1935, and
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.
&C.,
&C.,
&c.
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