In
any
further communication
on this subject, please quote
F 5933/130/10.
and address-
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S. W.1.
Geut
172207/1/37)
al regel
RECEIVED
- 3 SEP 1937
LeaseY
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
2nd September, 1937.
23
244
(9)
(6)
Sir,
I am directed by Mr. Secretary Eden to refer to your
letter No.53548/37 of the 31st August asking for his
observations on the communication from Mr. Bernard of the
27th August on the subject of the supply of arms to China
addressed to both the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office.
2. Mr. Bernard called at this department and was
informed generally as to the position in regard to the supply
of arms to both China and Japan, namely, that at present the
normal procedure with regard to the export of arms was being
followed, and that no decisions had been taken to prohibit
the export of arms either from this country or from Hong Kong.
Mr.Bernard however was given clearly to understand that it
was impossible to guarantee what the position in this respect
would be when the actual time of shipment of any
particular consignment of arms might arrive; nor was it
possible to guarantee that the Japanese Government might not
at any moment begin to exercise belligerent rights in which
case the vessel carrying the arms would be exposed to the
risk of contraband search or blockade. In answer to a
further question by Mr. Bernard the view was expressed that
firms supplying arms to China would not on that account be
exposed to adverse criticism in the absence of a declared
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
policy/