![Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [‎292v] (584/1035)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002c9/IOR_L_PS_12_2174_0585.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [‎292v] (584/1035)")
Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [292v] (584/1035)
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.
Article 1?0 of the Treaty of Versailles imposes a
specific obligation on Germany but not* surely* on this
country or India or other signatories of that treaty* On
the other hand* Article 6 of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of
1921* and Letters I and II attached to that treaty* do
impose a specific obligation on H.M.G. and the Government
of India to permit transit of arms consigned to the Afghan
Government through India, and this obligation is not
limited by any condition as to the origin of the arms*
e there cannot* without a breach of the Anglo-Afghan
.reaty* decline to allow arms to transit India for
Afghanistan merely on the ground that they were exported
from Geimany. On the other hand, to allow transit of
arms exported from Germany would apparently only amount to I
passing sub silentio a breach by Germany of an obligation
resting on her* I suggest that after the second paragraph
of the Foreign Office draft* which explains the
Versailles position* it might continue as follows:-
"Anglo-Afghan Treaty of course imposes an
obligation on the Government of India to allow
transit of arms consigned to Af^ian Government
without questioning their origin. If the German
deal went through* however* question of some
difficulty might arise as to whether we should pass
sub sllentio a breach of Germany’s obligation
under Article 170 of Treaty of Versailles In
these circumstances you should if possible avoid
further discussion of the subject with your German
colleague*"
If the case arose* and if it were decided not to
ignore it* any representati ms which H.M.G, might make
would presumably be addressed to the German Government and
not to the Government of Afghanistan* which of course is
totally unconcerned in the Versailles obligation.
(Sgd. ) - J.C. WALTON.
1 . 2 * 36 .
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [292v] (584/1035), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2174, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100037552873.0x0000b9> [accessed 25 April 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037552873.0x0000b9
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037552873.0x0000b9">Coll 7/5 'Afghanistan: purchase of arms etc. from foreign sources: Germany' [‎292v] (584/1035)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037552873.0x0000b9"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002c9/IOR_L_PS_12_2174_0585.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002c9/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
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
- front, front-i, 2r:10v, 12r:21v, 23r:23v, 25r:27v, 29r:42v, 44r:60v, 62r:65v, 67r:67v, 69r:74v, 76r:77v, 80r:80v, 82r:145v, 149r:160v, 162r:169v, 171r:174v, 176r:205r, 206r:248v, 250r:254v, 256r:334v, 336r:357v, 359r:370v, 372r:378v, 380r:390v, 392r:394v, 396r:398v, 400r:418v, 420r:420v, 422r:428v, 430r:431v, 433r:443v, 445r:451v, 453r:456v, 458r:462v, 465r:465v, 468r:474v, 476r:481v, 484r:496v, 498r:517v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence