Mr. Gent 29/9
Mr.
Cowell 29 at once
53845/37.
17
87
CYPHER telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies
to the officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong.
(Sent 11.0p.m, 29th September, 1937.)
f This comina is quite out
of Wale
me
(18-43)
/118
"
Copies to F.0.
IMPORTANT.
No.188. Confidential.
Your telegram No.195 aeroplane assembly depot.
Am advised section of Order in Council you refer to would
not be applicable unless aircraft were foreign military
sircraft Flying over or landing in the Colony. In general,
although state of war does not exist at present de jure it
would be wise in circumstances of Hong Kong to act in such
a matter as this as if state of war were at least imminent.
Obligations of a neutral may be summarised as follows:-
There is nothing to prevent private neutral
citizens or companies selling arms to belligerents, even
to belligerent governments, and there is nothing, so far as
we know, to prevent belligerent governments from maintaining
agencies or organisations (even of a semi-governmental
character) in neutral territory for the purpose of buying
aras. On the other hand, neutral territory must not be made
a bas of military operations by either belligerent.
this connexion, a distinction has always been drawn between
the supply of ordinary arms and ammunition to belligerents
ani we supply to them of vessels of war.
fall in the "vessels of war" category.
In
Military aircraft
And a neutral
government is supposed to prevent the departure from its
jurisdiction of assembled aircraft destined for a belligerent
B.T
A.M.
W.0. D.O.T.LFF
Conf.
Ad my
and
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