Skip to item: of 315
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 7/12 'Chinese Turkestan; import of arms via India' [‎34r] (67/315)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (157 folios). It was created in 13 Apr 1932-17 Sep 1937. It was written in English. 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.

Apply page layout

0 '
{
c, :.b.
g)
VIOKERS- ARMSTRONGS LIMITEB,
TICKERS HOUSE,
BROADWAY, WESTMINSTER,
LONDON, S.W.X.
27th May, 1953.
E.P. Donaldson, Esq.,
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. ,
miitehQ.ll, S.W.l.
lly dear Donaldson,
When I was coming out of the Chinese Legation
in Berlin last Wednesday afternoon I saw three or four
Chinamen who did not look as if they belonged and I asked
who they were. I was informed by the Commercial Councillor
of the Legation that they were the son of the "Chairman"
of the proTincial Government of Sinkiang and some other
important members of the late Government. (?)
The son has apparently received instructions from
the "Chairman" to remain in Berlin to continue his studies,
although the "Chairman" is now making the best of his way to
Shanghai via Vladivostok.
I had a talk to one called Buch Hann (Hann I
believe means Mr.) who told me that the revolt was entirely
the fault of the "Chairman" who is a self-seeker and cares
nothing for his country. He said that a new government is
shortly to be established which he hopes will be better.
Buch Hann himself was on the point of leaving for
Urumtsi via Moscow by air, Novosivirsk by car and
Semipalatinsk on horses, but has not yet obtained his
Soviet visa.
He tells me that he thinks it unlikely that our
quotations ever reached Urumtsi. I of course placed myself
entirely at his disposal for any armament enquiries he might
wisfo/

About this item

Content

The file contains correspondence regarding requests for arms and ammunition received by the Government of India from the Government at Sinkiang Province [Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu]. The principal correspondents are the Government of India Foreign and Political Department, 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 Consulate-General at Kashgar [Kashi], and Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald Charles Francis Schomberg. There are also a small number of letters received from Chinese officials, comprising: Pan Tsi-Lu, an Agent of the Governor of Sinkiang in Kashgar; the Peking Representative of the Sinkiang Provincial Government; and the Ministry of War.

The following topics are discussed in the correspondence dated 1932-1933: the initial approach to purchase mining machinery, aeroplanes and munitions from the Government of India or from British companies; further orders from Switzerland and Germany; arrangements for transporting materials to Sinkiang via India; negotiations to purchase arms and ammunition from Vickers-Armstrongs Limited; and the position of the Government of India with regard to the embargo on providing arms to China or Japan. Quotations from Vickers-Armstrongs can be found at folios 47-54, and 65-68.

The file contains several letters from Lieutenant-Colonel Schomberg, discussing: his role as an intermediary between the Government at Sinkiang and the Government of India; the reluctance of Chinese officials to deal with the Consulate-General at Kashgar (Nicholas Fitzmaurice); the difficulties he faced as a result of his unofficial position; Russian influence at Urumchi [Urumqi] and in East Turkestan; and his views on the Government of India's diplomatic policy.

At the front of the file is a small quantity of correspondence dated 1937, regarding a request for arms and ammunition received from the Tungan [Dungan or Hui] Government at Sinkiang. This includes discussion of the position of neutrality to be adopted towards Southern Sinkiang, the need to obtain permission from the Central Government at Nanking, and the possible application of the Barcelona Convention on the Freedom of Transit (1921).

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references found within the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 2).

Extent and format
1 file (157 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 157; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in 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 in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 7/12 'Chinese Turkestan; import of arms via India' [‎34r] (67/315), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2181, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100064297787.0x000046> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

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_100064297787.0x000046">Coll 7/12 'Chinese Turkestan; import of arms via India' [&lrm;34r] (67/315)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100064297787.0x000046">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002d0/IOR_L_PS_12_2181_0070.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

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_100000000555.0x0002d0/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image