893.113/103
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis) to the Secretary of
State
[Extract]
London, January 27,
1921.
[Received February 10.]
No. 4130
Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram,
No. 9 of January 7, 5 p.m., concerning the Chinese Arms Embargo, and as
stated in my telegram of today’s date,45 I have the honor to enclose a copy of a
Note from the Foreign Office dated the 22nd instant, received on the
24th, in reply to the Embassy’s Memorandum of the 10th instant,45 which was based
upon the Department’s telegraphic instructions. …
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I have [etc.]
For the Ambassador:
J. Butler
Wright
Counselor of
Embassy[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Curzon) to the American
Ambassador (Davis)
London, 22 January,
1921.
No. F. 120/2/10
Your Excellency: I have the honour to
acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s memorandum No. 20 of
January 10th, 1921, on the subject of the arms embargo for
China.
[Page 543]
- 2.
- Your Excellency alludes to a Note addressed to His Majesty’s
Ambassador at Tokio by the Japanese Minister for Foreign
Affairs, outlining certain alleged violations of the embargo by
the United States, Italy and Great Britain.
- 3.
- I note with pleasure the statements contained in Your
Excellency’s note as to the careful watch which has been kept by
the United States Government on all applications for permission
to ship explosives and munitions to China, and as to the
confidence of the Department of State that no permits have been
issued except for the usual small consignments of sporting arms
and ammunition, and certain shipments of blasting explosives for
industrial purposes. His Majesty’s Government fully appreciate
the cordial co-operation hitherto afforded by the United States
Government to ensure the success of the arms embargo
policy.
- 4.
- As regards the alleged violation of the embargo by Great
Britain, I can only presume that this refers to the agreement
between Messrs. Vickers, Limited, and the Chinese Government,
the existence of which is doubtless known to Your
Excellency.
- 5.
- His Majesty’s Government desire therefore to point out that
the supply of aeroplanes as provided for in this contract
constitutes no violation of the arms embargo, which relates only
to arms and munitions of war and material destined exclusively
for their manufacture. This aspect was carefully considered at
the time, and the transaction was only approved on the definite
assurance that the machines were solely for commercial purposes,
and were incapable of conversion for military use. These
assurances were accepted as satisfactory by His Majesty’s
Government, and also by the Japanese Government, who made
enquiries on the subject. It is true that attempts were at one
time made to divert these aeroplanes for military purposes but
immediate action was taken by His Majesty’s Government to
prevent such misuse of the machines and has, they believe,
proved effective.
- 6.
- Commercial aeroplanes are therefore in quite a different
category from arms, but nevertheless, in the light of subsequent
experience and in view of the signature of the Consortium
Agreement, His Majesty’s Government feel strongly that it would
be inadvisable to encourage China to devote her resources or her
credit to obtaining further supplies of aircraft until more
essential national needs have been fulfilled the relative
urgency of which will be, no doubt, considered by the
Consortium. While it would not be possible for His Majesty’s
Government to take steps to prevent the execution of the Vickers
contract, which was financed by a loan actually floated in this
country, they would be prepared, having regard to present
developments, to come to an agreement with the other Powers
concerned for placing an embargo on any further
[Page 544]
supplies of aircraft other than
machines already contracted for. This agreement would be similar
in effect to the Arms Embargo Agreement,46
although the reason for it would, as indicated above, be
different in that it would be based rather on consideration of
financial policy arising out of the Consortium than on strictly
military grounds.
- 7.
- In this connection, I desire to mention to Your Excellency
that in December 1920 a Peking agent of another British firm
concluded, entirely unknown to His Majesty’s Legation, an
agreement for the supply of aircraft to the Government of China.
One of the clauses of that agreement provided for the
communication of its text to His Majesty’s Government by the Wai
Chiaolu. His Majesty’s Minister at Peking has, however, been
instructed by telegraph to refuse to accept the document, and
the firm has been informed that the transaction cannot be
countenanced by His Majesty’s Government. His Majesty’s
Government are resolved to maintain this attitude so long as the
co-operation of other Governments in this policy is
forthcoming.
- 8.
- As regards the export to China of arms and munitions, the
supervision exercised in this country has been no less strict
than that obtaining in the United States of America. All
applications for licenses, save only for reasonably small
consignments of bona fide sporting arms
and ammunition, have been, and continue to be, steadily
refused.
- 9.
- In the present condition of internal turmoil in China, and in
the light of recent developments, His Majesty’s Government are
more than ever convinced of the vital necessity in the interests
of peace and union in that distracted country, of whole-hearted
adherence ta the policy of the arms embargo, and I sincerely
trust that the United States Government will continue to employ
every means in their power to secure its observance by their
nationals, with a view to maintain the co-operation of other
countries concerned.
I have [etc.]
V. Wellesley
(For
the Secretary of State)
