846G.113/246
Memorandum by Mr. Joseph C. Green of the Division of Western European Affairs
I called Mr. Broadmead, First Secretary of the British Embassy by telephone this morning and asked him whether any word had been received as yet from London in regard to the situation in Hongkong in respect to the transshipment and reexport of arms.
Mr. Broadmead replied that nothing had been received from the Foreign Office in reply to the despatch in which the Embassy transmitted a copy of our note of April 19, 1935. He said that he would figure out whether there had been time for the Foreign Office to consult the Hongkong authorities and to receive a reply and if circumstances appeared to warrant it, he would prepare a telegram to the Foreign Office requesting that action be expedited.
I thanked Mr. Broadmead and told him that we would greatly appreciate anything which he could do to expedite a reply to our note as the situation referred to was somewhat embarrassing.