Armament > Conference for the control of the international trade in arms, munitions and implements of war

Document i3.
MEMORANDUM BY THE BRITISH DELEGATION,
DATED MAY 12th, 1924, REGARDING THE CLASSIFICATION OF
ARMS ASKED FOR BY THE COUNCIL ON MARCH 11th, 1924.
1. The Commission is requested to draw up, for the express purpose of organising conti ol
of the traffic in arms, a list, corresponding to the present state of military knowledge.
(1) Of arms and munitions of war;
(2) Of other kinds of arms and munitions.
2. Military fire-arms and military ammunition are those primarily designed for use against
men, but the development of the sporting rifle has in modern times closely followed that of military
arms, with the result that there is often little or no distinction between the two classes.
3. In drawing up any such lists, it is therefore essential to draw a distinction between those
fire-arms which are intended and constructed for purely military purposes and those which are
capable of use for both military and other purposes. u a a
4. It is also convenient to class separately arms and munitions of war other than rmeu
small-bore breech-loading weapons. Other kinds of arms and munitions—that is, non-military
— must obviously be considered apart. . ,
5. We come, therefore, to two main categories, which it is necessary to subdivide, tor the
purposes of a Convention for the Control of the Traffic in Arms.
The categories proposed are:
Category I.
(a) Military rifles, military revolvers and pistols, component parts thereof, and
ammunition.
(b) Rifles capable of use for both military and other purposes, component parts
thereof and ammunition for same.
(c) Other weapons and munitions of war, component parts thereof and ammuni¬
tion.
(See List of Arms and Munitions to be included in Category I, Document 14,
page 138.)
Note. In any convention for the control of the traffic in arms, the following pro¬
cedure is recommended:
(a) In the case of application for licence to export arms capable of use for
both military and other purposes, the consignor and /or consignee shall be required
to satisfy the authorities of the countries of import and/or export that the transac¬
tion is of a non-military character, and shall be required to prove that the authorities
of the country of import are prepared to admit the proposed consignment.
(b) Rifle ammunition between calibres 6.5 mm. and 8.2 mm., both inclusive,
will require bona-fide proof, as for Category ^-(b), that it is for other than military
purposes. In the absence of such proof, it shall come under Category 1(a).
(c) Pistol and revolver ammunition of calibre greater than 6.5 mm. will come
under Category 1(a).
Category II.
(a) Rifles, revolvers and pistols for non-military purposes, firing ammunition
regarded as of no military value, component parts thereof and ammunition.
(b) Smooth-bore shot-guns, component parts thereof and ammunition; humane
cattle-killers.
(See List of Arms and Munitions to be included in Category II, Document 14,
page 138.)
Note. The subdivisions (a) and f&J are made in case it is desired to exercise a control
by licence over the export of some of the weapons considered as of no military value.
In such a case, it is recommended that those under (a) should require a licence, but
that those under (b) should not require a licence for export to any territory other than a
prohibited area.