CO129-552-6 Traffic of arms to China 2-1-1935 - 27-12-1935 — Page 70

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prohibition had to cover export to all destinations.

By

Section 1 of the xporistion of Arms Act, 1900, howevor,

power was given to prohieit by roclamation the exportation

of arms to any specified country or place "whenever Her Majesty

shall judge such prohibition to be expedient in order to

prevent such arms, emmunition, military or naval stores

being used against Her Majesty's subjects or forces or

against any forces engaged in military or navel operations

in co-operation with Her Majesty's forces." The new powers

were intended primarily to prevent the export of arms and

ammunition to the Boxer insurgents in Chi.e. Immediately

after the Act came into force, however, the boxer rising

was suppressed; and aparently no proclamation prohibiting

the export of arms to China was actually issued.

4. After the outbreak of the European War the power to

make Proclamations prohibiting export was extended by the

Customs (xportation Restriction) Acts, 1914, to cover the

export of all articles of any description; and by the

The se

Customs (xportation Restriction) Act, 1915, power was

given to secure that any article to which a prohibition

applied was delivered to an authorised consignee.

extended powers were valid only in time of war;

had an important bearing on the development of the export

licensing system.

but they

5. The powers to prohibit the export of articles other

than arms, ammunition, etc. lapsed after the War; but

Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1921, extended section 8

of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1879, to cover

weapons and munitions of war of every description, and also

firearms not being weapons of war and ammunition for such

firearms. It also gave power to prohibit shipments as ship'e

stores.

6. The text of those sections quoted above, which are

still in force, is given in Annex A.

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