893.24/537: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 18—7:30 a.m.]
117. Reference paragraph 1 Embassy’s No. 84, February 8, noon. The Embassy is informed by a representative of a French munition firm who is now in Chungking that shipments of munitions and arms including guns up to a caliber in 4 inch, all presumably from France, are being imported into China via French Indo-China. According to his statement, shipment is made by truck from Haiphong to Langson on the border and thence into Kwangsi. He stated that these arms and munitions were originally packed in large cases for shipment by rail but that since the French authorities restricted arms shipments on the Yunnan Railway it has become necessary to repack them for motor transport.
The informant also stated it to be his opinion that representations on the part of the United States Government to the French Government would have a very salutary effect in relaxing various restrictive [Page 741] measures said to be imposed at present on the transshipment of American and other non-French goods through Indo-China.
Repeated to Peiping.