884.113/11

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Harvey) to the Secretary of State

No. 1527

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith’ copies of a note which has been received from the British Foreign Office in answer to representations made by the Embassy in the matter of a shipment of arms and ammunition from the United States to Ras Taffari, the heirapparent of Abyssinia. It is stated therein that as soon as an agreement has been reached by the British, French and Italian Governments regarding the quota of arms to be admitted annually into Abyssinia, His Majesty’s Government will raise no objection to the inclusion in the quota for the first period of the consignment in question. The communication further refers to your note of June 22, 1922, to the British Ambassador in Washington1 which dealt with the importation of arms into Central American countries and draws attention to the analogy between the cases of Central America and Abyssinia, and goes on to express the hope that the United States Government will feel disposed to support the endeavors of His Majesty’s Government to place the importation of arms into Abyssinia upon a regular basis adapted to the real requirements of the country.

I have [etc.]

For the Ambassador:
Post Wheeler,

Counselor of Embassy
[Enclosure]

The British Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Balfour) to the American Ambassador (Harvey)

No. A 4532/445/1

Your Excellency: I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your memorandum of the 13th instant in which attention is drawn to the consignment of arms and ammunition from the United States exported to Ras Taffari, the heir apparent to Abyssinia, and the hope is expressed that arrangements may be made for this shipment to go forward to its destination.

2.
In connection with this matter, it may be well for me to explain to Your Excellency the situation which has arisen regarding the supply of munitions of war to Abyssinia. His Majesty’s Government have for some time past been convinced that the disturbed [Page 113] conditions existing throughout that country have been largely due to the unrestricted movement of arms and ammunition which existed before the war. In order to remedy this situation and to avoid irregularity in the supply of arms and ammunition to the Abyssinian Government, His Majesty’s Government have proposed to the French and Italian Governments that a fixed number of arms should in future be admitted annually into Abyssinia, the quota for each year being fixed after careful consideration of the local circumstances. Discussions have actually started with regard to the number of arms which should be admitted into the country and as soon as an agreement on this point can be reached His Majesty’s Government will raise no objection to the inclusion in the quota for the first period of the consignment mentioned in your note.
3.
I trust that the policy adopted by His Majesty’s Government in this matter will command the sympathy of the United States Government. Mr. Hughes, in a note to His Majesty’s Ambassador at Washington dated the 22nd ultimo dealing with the importation of arms into Central American countries,2 stated that “It is the view of this government that the sale of arms to a country where political conditions are known to be unstable might create embarrassment to foreign governments whose nationals have property interests in the countries concerned, and might prove to be a factor in making the political situation still more unstable”. This observation is one which applies forcibly to Abyssinia and I have no doubt therefore that the United States Government will feel disposed to support the endeavours of His Majesty’s Government to place the importation of arms into that country upon a regular basis adapted to the real requirements of the country.

I have [etc.]

(In the absence of the Earl of Balfour)
R. Sperling
  1. Not printed.
  2. Note not printed.