GUNS AND AMMUNITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19240, 2 August 1924, Page 12

GUNS AND AMMUNITION

GERMAN ARMS FOR CHINA. WARSHIPS ON THE WATCH. COLOMBO, July 23. The Norwegian vessel Hav entered the harbour with two machine guns, a largo number of rifles and 60 tons of ammunition for Canton, China. They are all of German manufacture, and were loaded at Antwerp and consigned to a Chinese firm at Canton. No attempt was made to disguise the nature of the cargo, which was dearly stated in tho manifest as arms and ammunition. Captain Guntorsen pleaded guilty lo a charge of entering the harbour with ammunition insecurely stored in the ship's magazine, in contravention of the port regulations. He was fined 200 rupees. Since Norway is not a party to the arms embargo agreement, tho authorities hero are powerless to confiscate arms and ammunition properly entered on tho ships manifest, or to detain the vessel. However, it is anticipated locally that the Hav will find it difficult to avoid tho attention of tho Diplomatic Corp’s Elect, which includes British warships, stationed off tho China coast for tho purpose of preventing the landing of arms. These warships have received the fullest information of tne nature of the Hav’s cargo. Unless her plans aro altered, the Hav will proceed direct from Colombo to Canton. She has only arms and munitions for that port, the rest of the cargo being destined for Singapore.