893.801 Search/17: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 16—3:35 p.m.]
344. My 337, May 15, 4 p.m. In connection with the subject matter of my telegram under reference the following “instruction from the National Government” quoted in a note from the Foreign Office of April 23rd is repeated for the Department’s information:
“Beginning with April 18, 1930, permits covering any articles for military use and fighting equipment purchased from any foreign country and shipped to China shall not be effective unless they have been examined and stamped by the Chinese Legation in that country. Otherwise the shipment shall be dealt with as smuggling. The contracting foreign firm and the purchasing agents shall be investigated and severely punished and the ship and ammunition confiscated.”