CO129-552-6 Traffic of arms to China 2-1-1935 - 27-12-1935 — Page 240

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who have instituted a licence system.

They

would, therefore, propose, if the procedure

outlined above is adopted, to instruct the

Governor of Hong Kong to require, in the case

of exports from Belgium or Switzerland, the

production of a through contract made between

the exporter in Europe and the final importer

in China before affording any consignment

transit facilities. In this connexion it is

appropriate to draw attention to the small

volume of trade involved.

According to

returns furnished by the Governor of Hong Kong,

arms exported from Switzerland passed through

the colony during the eighteen months ended the

31st December 1934, and arms in transit from

Belgium during the same period were valued only

at some £14,500 in relation to a total trade

of some £828,000.

3. I shall be glad if Your Excellency

will address a note to the United States

Government in the light of the preceding

paragraph, and enquire whether, in these

circumstances,

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