CO129-567-5 Traffic of arms to China and Japanese air-raids on Kowloon-Canton railway 11-4-1938 - 19-1-1939 — Page 52

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CYPHER TELEGRAM from the Secretary of State for the Colonies

to the Governor of Hong Kong.

Sent 7.0 p.m.

22nd December, 1938.

52

Secret No.263.

Your telegram No.355 Export of unitions to South

Kuangtung. His Majesty's Government consider that in

present circumstances it would be contrary to Colony's

interests to permit export of munitions to the Forces

engaged in fouth Kuangtung by lorry or coasting vessel.

It is also considered that qualification that

exports of munitions to Chinese Government should only be

allowed by "deep sea vessels" is somewhat ambiguous and

likely to raise difficulties of procedure, and accordingly it

is suggested that destination of the vessel would be the

best criterion in this matter.