Coll 34/7 'Slavery: Slave Traffic and Gun-running: Right of search by H. M. ships in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf' [‎267v] (534/576)

3. It would, in his Lordship’s opinion, be difficult, if not impossible, to induce the
Powers concerned to prohibit the export of small arms, ^'c., to their own possessions in
the prohibited zones. It is, moreover, occasionally necessary foi \aiious leasons to
make shipments of these articles to such destinations. Also, any ariangement on the
above lines to which the United States was not a party would be loiedoomed to
failure.
4. I am to state that this Department is consulting the War Office, Loanl of
Trade and other Departments interested in regard to this proposal.
I am, &c.,
The Secretary, Air Ministry. J* Skamour.
ENCLOSURE No. 5 :—India Otjice to Foreinn Office.
India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
Sir, 20th January 1921.
I am directed by the Secretary of State for India to reply to your letter
No. A. 8612/7143/60, dated the 15th December, inviting bis observations with
reference to a suggestion made by the Air Ministry that the French, Italian, Belgian
and Japanese Governments should be asked to agree not to export small arms, Ac.,
to the areas specified in Article 6 of the Arms Traffic Convention.
Mr. Montagu is not altogether clear as to whether it was intended to suggest that
the export of small arms, Ac., to the areas in question should be stopped altogether.
If the same restriction were applied —as it would presumably have to be—to British
exports also, the proposal would appear likely to involve difficulties from the point of
view of possible British requirements in the prohibited areas, and also seems to go
beyond the necessities of the case. Mr. Montagu agrees, moreover, that for the reasons
indicated in para. 3 of your letter to the Air Ministry of the 15th December, the other
Powers in question could in any case hardly be expected to agree to so sweeping a
proposal. But he feels at the same time that every effort should be made to secure
that the control over exports to the prohibited areas shall be as strict, and as closely
in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, as is possible in existing
circumstances, and that it might be possible to make some arrangement with the
other Powers that would secure these ends more adequately than does the mere fact
of adherence to the Protocol of the Convention as now modified.
In view of the form of the Protocol and of the fact that the arrangements within
the prohibited areas themselves contemplated by Chapter HI. of the Convention have
not yet been brought into force generally, it would seem difficult to define at all
precisely the obligations that should be held to follow from adherence to the Protocol
<is now modified, and so far as Mr. Montagu is aware there is little information as to
the interpretation placed upon the Protocol in practice by the various exporting
Powers. It is observed from your letter to the Admiralty, No. A. 7674/1524/95 of the
I 7th November, that in this country a licence for export'to a prohibited area is only
issued “ when satisfactory evidence is forthcoming as to the consignee and the
purposes for which the arms or ammunition are required.” it is also noted from
the enclosure to your letter No. A. 7845/1524/95 of the 6th December that the
Belgian Government have issued a decree subjecting exports to the prohibited areas
to a licensing system but that there is nothing in the decree to indicate what
conditions nave to be fulfilled before a licence is granted
Mr. Montagu does not feel that he is in a position to propose any precise
ormuhi, : " lt lle wou . ll 1 1 suggest that the matter deserves consideration, and that one
posstble course would perhaps, be to formulate as precisely as possible the practice
“ 111 thls “ unt ? r ‘I 1 S^ntmg licences and to communicate this formula to
formula cTn T ‘L , i- 8 , 1 ®/“*' a general agreement. If a satisfactory common
torrmda could be established in this way, it might be hoped that some further
'u-ms to ViiM' b V r 6 ' 'iV* 16 "' ay of such developments as the export of Italian
oiThe • reCent reP ° rt) aUd the revival(also recently reported),
of St'.mVGw G « P P 0rt,,nity of enclosing, for the information of the Secretary
indii with I 6 ' 8 " A ® alIS \ a co, y 0 a Des Pafoh addressed to the Government of
India, with enclosures, on the subject ot the measures to be taken to fove effect
to the provisions of Chapters III. and IV. of the Arms Traffic Convention.
Vinistrfnf At, v e^er.tnc being sent to the Board of Trade, War Office, Admiralty,
-limstn of Munitions, Air Ministry and Colonial Office.
The Under Secretary of State, 1 o.,
Foreign Office. J. L. Shuckbubgh.