CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918 — Page 444

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If

the appropriate authorities on the subject, were correctly

informed that shipment could not be made to Switzerland on

Japanese vessels. After informing the shippers to this

effect however it would appear that the Hong Kong

authorities consented, in the circumstances, to allow the

goods to be shipped to Marseilles, presumably being under

the impression that it would be a matter of no difficulty

to secure their forwarding from France to Switzerland.

this assumption is correct and the Hong Kong authorities

acted in the manner indicated I am to point out that such

action is open to grave objection and likely, if repeated,

to place His Majesty's Government in a somewhat awkward

position vis-à-vis the French Government, for the

following reasons. This action (1) involves the use of

Japanese tonnage for carrying goods to Europe not destined

for allied use, and therefore, apart from being in

contravention of the regulations laid down on this subject,

is a waste of allied tonnage, and (2) places upon the

French authorities the obligation to treat the goods as

ordinary imports into France, to requisition them, since

no import licence would have been obtained, and finally,

after the inevitable representations have been made to

them by the owners of the goods, to submit them to the

lengthy formalities required for securing an export licence

from France to Switzerland.

3. In these circumstances I am to suggest that, if the

facts of the case are as stated in the preceding paragraph,

steps should be taken to ensure, in future, that no shipments

are permitted to be made from the Colonies to Switzerland

unless

unless the goods are consigned from the port of departure on a through bill of lading made out to the proper consignees in Switzerland in accordance with the procedure originally laid down, and unless such shipments are effected in neutral tonnage.

I am,

sir,

Your most obedient

humble Servant,

B.bellelen

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