CHINA CARGOES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 223, 19 September 1940, Page 6

CHINA CARGOES.

STORED IN MANILA.

PROTESTS BY JAPANESE.

(By HARRISON FORM AX.) MANILA, August 17. A former American steamer flying the Panama flag arrived here the other day with a cargo of 64 American war 'planes and 1000 tons of munitions. The cargo had been destined originally for Rangoon and for transhipment from there to Chungking via the Burma Road. It was deposited here because of the agreement of the British to close the road at the request of Japan. The-Japanese Consulate here is protesting vigorously against the storage of the cargo in Manila. The shipper's action indicates that plans are in progress to make Manila the successor to Rangoon and Hongkong as a depot for war supplies for the Chinese. Alternatives to Burma Road. It was learned in New York shipping circles that Manila is being used as a storehouse for American contraband shipments until either the Burma Road is reopened or some alternative route to the Chinese is developed—probably via the Russian port of Vladivostok, in the far north. The Burma Road has l>een closed for three months only, and, since this is' now the rainy season there, shipments along that road would have been" hazardous, if not impossible, anyway. Japan's protest against the use of Manila warehouses to store contraband is not believed to have any legal effect. Japan never has declared war on China, and therefore has no claim under international law to the rights of a belligerent. It has never been able to establish a water blockade around China, and such blockade as exists is a hind blockade, made effective by the conquest of porta and rail points of entrance. Secular Cargoes via Manila. The closing of the Burma Road and the cutting off of Hongkong from the Chinese by a- Japanese army makes Vladivostok the only port by which American shipments can now reach the Chinese. Shipp going from Manila to Vladivostok will have to pass through the whole Japanese navy. L. W. Byrne, assistant traffic manager of the Port of New York Authority, said there has been a regular shipment from the United States of war supplies for the Chinese via Manila. On July 22, the State Department issued a report of export licenses granted for goods to China for the six months ending June 30. This totalled 8,872,000 dollars, and 90 per cent of it was trade in aeroplanes, aeroplane parts, guns and munitions. However, actual exports were less than the amount licensed. For instance, 1.300,000 dollars' worth of munitions exports were licensed, but only 000.000 dollars' worth were shipped —all in the month of June and none in the preceding five months.—X.A.X.A.