No.172
(F 1433/60/10)
Sir,
FOREIGN OFICE, 8.V.1.
6th March, 1935.
315
I transmit to you herewith a copy of correspondence
which has been exchanged between this Department and the
(3) Colonial Office as a result of your despatch No.52 of the 18th
2)
January last, on the subject of the passage of arms through
Hong Kong in transit from the United States to China.
2.
The proposal put forward by the Governor of Hong
4) Kong in the despatch which forms an enclosure to the Colonial
Office letter, appears to provide an effective means of checking
the abuses set out in the note from the State Department which
was enclosed in your despatch under reference.
3. I shall, therefore, be glad if Your Excellency will
state in reply to the State Department that the Government of
Hong Kong are fully alive to the existence of the loophole
pointed out by the United States Government and that they are
willing to cooperate with a view to closing it. If they might
be furnished with copies of all licences or other forms or
authorization issued in respect of export of arms to Hong
Kong, the Hong Kong Government would, in those cases where
Hong Kong is indicated as the port of ultimate destination,
refuse to allow re-export to China without the production of
a Contral Government "huchao". It would not, however, be
practical to require, as evidence that goods are in transit,
His Excellency
The Right Honourable
Sir Ronald Lindsay, G.C.M.G., K.C.B.,
etc..
etc.,
etc..
Washington.
a/
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