F 10102/28/10
Important.
Sir,
FOREIGN OFFICE,
S.W.1.
13th September, 1939.
141
I am directed by Viscount Halifax to state
that the Counsellor to the United States Embassy in
London called at this department on the 11th September,
on instructions from his Government, to request that
His Majesty's Government should give an assurance that
they would do nothing to impede the onward transmission
to China of arms and material exported from the United
States of America for the use of the Chinese Government.
Mr. Herschel Johnson went on to say that these
consignments now always pass either through Indo-China
or Burma.
2.
In reply he was informed that the Government
of Burma had been requested to facilitate the transport
of German arms to China even if they had been carried in
German ships and that it was unlikely that His Majesty's
Government would hesitate to give the assurance which the
United States Government desired.
3. I am accordingly to request that the Government
of Burma may be informed by telegram of the United States
Government's request and that he may be informed in due
course of the views of the Marquess of Zetland as to the
reply which should be returned to the United States Government
so far as the Government of Burma are concerned.
4. Copies of this letter are being sent to the
Admiralty, Board of Trade, Colonial Office and the Ministry
of Economic Warfare.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
The Under-Secretary of State for Burma,
Burma Office.
(Sd.) N. B. RONALD.