Telegrams: SHIPMINDER, PARL, LONDON. Telephone: WHITEHALL 5140.
MERCANTILE MARINE DEPARTMENT,
BOARD OF TRADE,
M.
/38.
Dear Gent,
BOAR
GREAT GEORGE STREET,
28 34
LONDON, S.W.1
16th July, 1938.
12 In your official letter 53909/38 of the 23rd June
you asked whether we concurred in the terms of the draft
telegram to the Governor of Hong Kong regarding the motor
torpedo boats exported from this country to China via that
Colony.
Reading the draft in the light of your letter of
10 the 18th June to Henderson, we gather that your objection
to allowing these craft to proceed in a British ship from
Hong Kong to China is based on the provisions of the
Thirteenth Hague Convention; but I am afraid that for our
part we do not see why the Convention should constitute an
obstacle to this method of transport. De jure, I understand,
the Convention is not applicable at all, and would not be
even if Japan declares War although our Foreign Enlistment
Act might be; and this case of the motor torpedo boats
does not appear to be a case where failure to conform to
C. E. J. Gent Esq., D.S.O., 0.B.E., M.C.
/the