No.280 (250/3/35)
British Rabessy,
San Sebastian.
September 7th, 1935.
142
Your Excellency,
By his Note No.224 of August 31st, 1934,
Sr. Pita Romero was good enough to inform Sir George
Grab me in reply to the enquiry which His Excellency
had been instructed to make on the subject, that the
Spanish Government, at the request of the Chinese
Government, only permitted exports of arm to China
if previously authorised by the Chinese Legation in
drid.
His lajesty's Government in the United
Kingdom have had under consideration the desirability
of controlling more strictly the passage of arms to
Chine through Hong Kong. Cages have occurred where
exporters have obtained licences for the export of
arm on the representation that they were destine for
Hong Kong, and where the Hong Kong agent has subsequently
obtained for these arg transit facilities for China
by producing a contract from the Chinese importera for
the supply of the same goods. It is obvious that such
a practice constitutes an evasion, for which His
Majesty's Government cannot assume responsibility, of
the Chinese Government's regulations, which have been
accepted by the Spanish Governmt.
His Excellency
Sr.Don Juan José Rocha,
Minister of State.
It.....
Enclosure to San Sebastian despatch No.554 of September 7, 1935.