893.113/826
The British Ambassador (Howard) to the Secretary of State
Sir: With reference to my Aide-Memoire of March 16th which I had the honour to communicate to you in my letted of the same date73 regarding the Chinese Arms Traffic, I have the honour to inform you that I learn from His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State that they have been obliged to yield to the persistence of the French Government that aircraft and parts certified by the Government of the country of origin as being of commercial type cannot legally be detained in transit to the Far East.
Mr. Chamberlain has instructed me to add that should the United States Government see their way to exert pressure on the French Government to stop this traffic it would, in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government, be most useful.
In communicating to you the above, I have the honour to ask that you will be so good as to inform me at your earliest convenience of the views of the United States Government on this question.
I have [etc.]
- Covering letter not printed.↩