This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION.
FROM CHINA.
8
Decypher.
Mr. Young (Peking).
50th October, 1937.
Do
(By W/T)
30th October, 1987.
R.
5.25 p.m.
30th October, 1937.
No.725.
XXXXXXX XXXX
Following from British Embassy Offices Shanghai, begins:-
Addressed to Nanking telegram No.93 of October 25th,
repeated to Peking, copied to Commercial Counsellor.
Following from Financial Adviser.
Secret.
French Ambassador inter alia discussed transit of arms
and munitions with me on October 22nd. He was alarmed at the
transit traffic through French Indo China on the same basis as
before the outbreak of hostilities on the grounds that:
(a) there was no declared war, and
(b) the League Assembly had approved on October 6th the
recommendation of its Advisory Committee on Sino-Japanese
conflict that all means which might hamper China's right of
self defence should be avoided.
20
He had telegraphed to his Government for further
instructions and has recommended [gp. undec.] they decide to
maintain this status quo in modified form stating that in
either case they should act in concert with His Majesty's
Government as transit through Hongkong presents analogous
problems to transit through Indo China.
3. Should you share these views he asked me to suggest
that you consider making parallel recommendation to the
Foreign Office.
4. I have discussed question with Acting Commercial
Counsellor ...