CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917 — Page 472

IREC

24830

PEG 14 MAY 17

India Office, London,

11th May 1917.

467

Secret,

No. 18.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable the Governor General of India in Council.

MY LORD,

1 forward, for Your Excellency's information, a copy of the corre- spondence' cited in the margin on the subject of the prohibition of the export of arms from the United Kingdom to certain neutral destinations in Far East.

Prohibition of export of arms and ammunition from the United Kingdom to neutral destinations in the Far East.

1 Letters-

To Foreign Office, dated 11th Jan. 1917. From ditto, dated 24th January 1917. To Colonial Office, dated 26th January

1917.

the

2. His Majesty's Government have decided that, as a general rule, no export licences will be granted for the export of arms and ammunition of any description from the United Kingdom, save in exceptional cases, and an unpub- lished ruling has been laid down that no application for permission to export arms, &c., whether for sporting purposes or otherwise, from the United Kingdom to China, Siam, the Dutch East Indies or Macao, will be considered in the absence

To War Trade Department, dated

9th February 1917. From Foreign Office, dated 11th April

1917, and enclosure.

From War Trade Department, dated

13th April 1917.

To ditto, dated 20th April 1917. From ditto, dated 25th April 1917. To Foreign Office, dated 4th May 1917. To Colonial Office, dated 4th May 1917.

Consular authorities concerned.

of a recommendation from the British

3. I request that you will take such action as may be necessary to ensure this decision being acted upon in respect of exports from India.

i have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant,

(Signed) AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.