CO129-552-6 Traffic of arms to China 2-1-1935 - 27-12-1935 — Page 248

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reference to the superintending Mission. It may be that the Chinese Consul-General at Singapore holds an independent post, in which case it is to be presumed that he would refer direct to the Waichiaopu; but this consideration does not

appear to Sir John Simon to justify the shifting of the onus

of ascertaining whether a particular transaction is in order

from the Chinese Consul-General to the Governor of the

Straits Settlements.

3.

Sir John Simon would propose, subject to the concurrence of Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, to instruct

Sir Alexander Cadogan to reply to the Waichiaopu in the sense of the two preceding paragraphs. Regarding the

question of the export of explosives, to which reference is

made in paragraph 3 of the enclosed despatch, Sir John Simon

would propose to point out to Sir Alexander Cadogan that in

replying to the Waichiaopu he should be careful to avoid the

implication that industrial explosives are subje cted either

in the United Kingdom or in colonial territories to the same

measure of export control which applies to arms and

munitions.

4.

Copies of this letter are being sent to the Admiralty,

the War Office, the Air Ministry, the Board of Trade and

the Department of Overseas Trade.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

A.W. G. Randall.