Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1930, Volume II

893.113/1266: Telegram

Washington , October 23, 1930—1 p.m.

362. Your 899, October 13, 5 p.m.

1.: Department assumes that the “guarantee bond” is that entitled “Form of Application for Inspection, etc.” attached to the Legation’s despatch May 21, 1930.89 In regard to hunting licenses, the Department notes that the Legation in 1929 instructed American consular officers to inform American citizens that it was considered desirable that applications for such licenses should be presented directly by the applicants to the Chinese authorities. It now appears that American citizens will be unable to obtain such licenses unless their applications are signed and sealed by an American consular officer. To meet this situation the Department authorizes American consular officers to write “seen” on and to sign and seal the aforesaid form of application for license to carry arms for purposes of self defense or hunting. No fee should be charged.
2.: In each case the consular office concerned should make and retain in its files a copy and translation of the application concerned.
3.: The Department desires, however, that the Legation and American consular officers shall carefully avoid any action which might be construed as an admission that American citizens are amenable to those features of the regulations which infringe upon their extraterritorial status.

Stimson