CO129-552-6 Traffic of arms to China 2-1-1935 - 27-12-1935 — Page 354

In any further communication this subject, please quote

No. F 1195/60/10

and address-

not to any person by name.

but to-

"The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

IMMEDIATE

Idays)

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.W.1.

27th February, 1935.

349

8

Sir,

RECEIVED

28 FEI 1935

C. O. REGY

I am directed by Secretary Sir John Simon to

1 refer to Peking telegrams Nos. 176 and 177, on the subject

of the export of explosives from Hong Kong to China,

copies of which were forwarded to you under cover of

1 Foreign Office printed letter No.F1195/60/10 of the 23rd

February.

2.

If the goods in question were being exported

from the United Kingdom it is presumed that no difficulty

would arise, since under the Arms Export Prohibition Order

of 1931 an Open General Licence (G.L.111) was issued on the

1st June 1931, permitting the export of industrial

explosives

-

including dynamite and gelignite

to all

destinations outside a special zone, in which China is not

included.

Sir John Simon is, however, unaware whether a

similar procedure is in force at Hong Kong. He understands

that the regulations which specifically govern the export of

war material to China do not make mention of explosives, but

that the Governor has power to regulate the movement of these

Ord under the "Dangerous Goods Act" of 1873. If use is not

Ox

(cz) by

Ausd -21-

Lipg

normally made of the powers conferred by this Act to control

the export of explosives, there would appear to Sir John Simon

to/

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.