893.113/105
The Ambassador in Italy (Johnson) to
the Acting Secretary of State
Rome, January 25,
1921.
[Received February 17.]
No. 279
Sir: In connection with my despatches Nos.
24741 and 26242 of December 20, 1920, and
January 5, 1921, respectively, I have the honor to enclose herewith copy
and translation of a Note Verbale (No. 4211/13)
dated January 22, 1921, just received from the Italian Foreign Office,
relative to the sale in China of arms and munitions from Italian
sources.
I have [etc.]
[Page 542]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Italian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to the American
Embassy
Note Verbale
In reply to the Note of the Embassy of the United States dated
December 20th last, No. 243,43 the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the
honor to state that if Italian arms were furnished to Chinese
buyers, it was done in execution of contracts made prior to May
1919, and for which the Italian Government had made explicit
reservation in adhering to the agreement signed at Peking the 26th
of April, 1919, by the representatives of the Allied and Neutral
Powers.44
In answer to an inquiry newly addressed to the Royal Legation of
Italy in Peking, it confirms that no other sale in China of arms or
munitions from Italian sources has been made on contracts of a later
period.
