893.113/1341: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 23—2:03 p.m.]
815. Department’s 258, July 31, 6 p.m.21 The following has been received from the Consul General at Canton:
“October 22, noon. Referring to the Legation’s telegrams of July 20, 2 p.m. and August 3, 3 p.m., I have been informed by Gale’s Hong Kong representative that Far East Aviation Company had delivered second single place Armstrong Whitford pursuit plane to Canton Aviation Bureau this morning. Although this ship was flown to Canton from Hong Kong with machine-gun mounts but unarmed, buyers claim that the plane was sold armed. Order for three more British manufactured ships of the same kind is reported to have been signed and the Bureau is said to be planning additional purchase of British ships since American military planes are not obtainable. Gale’s representative objected that unless British competitors were prevented from selling military aircraft to Canton, American aircraft trade would be adversely affected.”