884.113/11
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Harvey) to the Secretary of
State
London, July 27,
1922.
[Received August 8.]
No. 1527
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith’
copies of a note which has been received from the British Foreign Office
in answer to representations made by the Embassy in the matter of a
shipment of arms and ammunition from the United States to Ras Taffari,
the heirapparent of Abyssinia. It is stated therein that as soon as an
agreement has been reached by the British, French and Italian
Governments regarding the quota of arms to be admitted annually into
Abyssinia, His Majesty’s Government will raise no objection to the
inclusion in the quota for the first period of the consignment in
question. The communication further refers to your note of June 22,
1922, to the British Ambassador in Washington1 which dealt with the
importation of arms into Central American countries and draws attention
to the analogy between the cases of Central America and Abyssinia, and
goes on to express the hope that the United States Government will feel
disposed to support the endeavors of His Majesty’s Government to place
the importation of arms into Abyssinia upon a regular basis adapted to
the real requirements of the country.
I have [etc.]
For the Ambassador:
Post
Wheeler,
Counselor of
Embassy[Enclosure]
The British Acting Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs (Balfour) to the American
Ambassador (Harvey)
[London,] 26 July,
1922.
No. A 4532/445/1
Your Excellency: I have the honour to
acknowledge receipt of your memorandum of the 13th instant in which
attention is drawn to the consignment of arms and ammunition from
the United States exported to Ras Taffari, the heir apparent to
Abyssinia, and the hope is expressed that arrangements may be made
for this shipment to go forward to its destination.
- 2.
- In connection with this matter, it may be well for me to
explain to Your Excellency the situation which has arisen
regarding the supply of munitions of war to Abyssinia. His
Majesty’s Government have for some time past been convinced that
the disturbed
[Page 113]
conditions existing throughout that country have been largely
due to the unrestricted movement of arms and ammunition which
existed before the war. In order to remedy this situation and to
avoid irregularity in the supply of arms and ammunition to the
Abyssinian Government, His Majesty’s Government have proposed to
the French and Italian Governments that a fixed number of arms
should in future be admitted annually into Abyssinia, the quota
for each year being fixed after careful consideration of the
local circumstances. Discussions have actually started with
regard to the number of arms which should be admitted into the
country and as soon as an agreement on this point can be reached
His Majesty’s Government will raise no objection to the
inclusion in the quota for the first period of the consignment
mentioned in your note.
- 3.
- I trust that the policy adopted by His Majesty’s Government in
this matter will command the sympathy of the United States
Government. Mr. Hughes, in a note to His Majesty’s Ambassador at
Washington dated the 22nd ultimo dealing with the importation of
arms into Central American countries,2 stated that “It is
the view of this government that the sale of arms to a country
where political conditions are known to be unstable might create
embarrassment to foreign governments whose nationals have
property interests in the countries concerned, and might prove
to be a factor in making the political situation still more
unstable”. This observation is one which applies forcibly to
Abyssinia and I have no doubt therefore that the United States
Government will feel disposed to support the endeavours of His
Majesty’s Government to place the importation of arms into that
country upon a regular basis adapted to the real requirements of
the country.
I have [etc.]
(In the absence of the Earl of Balfour)
R. Sperling
