CO129-560-15 Traffic of arms to China 18-2-1937 - 15-11-1937 — Page 174

9

ہو

INLAND

FOREIGN:

ぐら

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESSES:

MATHESONS, STOCK, LONDON,

MATHESONS, LONDON.

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

MANSION HOUSE 5161 (6 LINES).

B. T.

Sir,

Arkia Pe

Acke

RECEIVED 8-OCT 1937

C. O. REGY

8/10

174

80

Lombard Street.

Londen &.c. 3.

7th October, 1937.

The Department of Overseas Trade are anxious

that this country should have its share in the supply

of War Materials to the Chinese Government.

As you are aware a large quantity of these goods

are consigned to Hongkong en route for China. Messrs.

Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd. in Hongkong have formed the

impression that the Government of the Colony is not

sympathetic to the Arms business.

The objections are, I suppose, either on

sentimental grounds or because in some cases it is carried

on in an improper manner. In the case of Jardine Matheson

& Co. Ltd. the Arms business is carried on properly and

is purely incidental to the rest of their activities. If,

however, the Chinese Government feel that in their hour of

stress the Company has been disinclined to assist them in

the acquisition of War Materials it will inevitably react

unfavourably on the Company's relations with the Chinese

E.C.

Government and be detrimental to all its other trading interests.

It has always been the Company's policy to work with

the Hongkong Government and not undertake anything that is

not agreeable to it. If, therefore, H.M. Government are

anxious that British Manufacturers should have their share

Eapy to F.O.

97

Anad

D.O.T, 98

W.O