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Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [147r] (293/1035)
The record is made up of 1 file (517 folios). It was created in 3 Jul 1931-24 Oct 1939. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Extracts,
25. 2. 37.
AFGHANISTAN.
At the reauest of The Afghan Legation I proceeded
there today to meet Lieutenant General Mohammed Jhsan,
Commandant of Afghan Aviation. He is also acting for the
Ministry of Defence for the purchase of war material.
He told me that owing to an understanding arrived at
"between the British and Afghan Governments during the visit of
the Afghan Prime Minister to London a short time ago, he had
received instructions to place as many orders as possible for
war material with British Firms, provided the type of material,
price and delivery were acceptable.
He realised that the present is a difficult time for
Armament Firms owing to the British Government’s demands.
Consequently he wants to arrange the type of
equipments and price, and then proposes to discuss the matter
with the War Office, etc., as regards delivery.
He went on to say that provided he comes to terms
with us over price, etc., the order will be given through the
War Office.
He has already telegraphed to an Afghan Technical
Officer, at present on the Continent, to come over and inspect
the Anti-Aircraft Equipment and machine guns.
He asks that we supply, as soon as we possibly can,
the prices for the 75mm. A.A.Equipments with Predictor. These
prices have already been asked for some time ago.
The following are the materials for which he asks
us to ouote
(a). 4 - 75mm. A.A. Equipments complete with normal quota of
- -Spa res
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12 2 5 JAR 1937
‘'SiA OFFICE
lolT TO_J^-£’- v £,
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence regarding the purchase of weapons and ammunition by the Afghan Government from Germany and other sources. It includes correspondence between Afghan Officials -- the Foreign Minister, the Legations to Paris and London, and the Consulate of Afghanistan in India -- and British Officials, including the 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. Political Department, HM Minister Kabul (Richard Maconachie), the Foreign Office, the War Office, and HM Ambassador to Berlin (Neville Henderson).
The file opens with correspondence regarding the alleged purchase in 1931 of arms from Germany, in violation of Article 170 of the Treaty of Versailles. It is determined that the arms in question originated in Poland, with funding from the German Government. Later correspondence documents the British decision not to protest against such treaty violations, in light of the obligation on Britain to not interfere with the supply of arms to Afghanistan as agreed in the Anglo-Afghan Treaty (1921).
Arrangements for the purchase, licensing and transport of arms to Afghanistan from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Japan, Spain, the USA, France and Belgium are documented in the file. The principal firms involved in these arrangements are: Škoda Works; Rheinmetall-Borsig AG; Dynamit-Actien-Gesellschaft (vormals Alfred Nobel); and Messrs Vickers-Armstrongs Limited. A number of additional firms are mentioned but not named. The file also contains communications received from the Government of India Central Board of Revenue and the Collector of Customs at Karachi, reporting on the arrival and examination of shipments, the validity of export licences, and the payment of customs dues.
The file includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 2-4).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (517 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 517; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2174
- Title
- Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany'
- Pages
- 335r:335v, 255r:255v, 249r:249v, 146r:148v
- Author
- Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
- Copyright
- ©Rolls-Royce plc
- Usage terms
- This item can be used for your own private study and research. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.