Papers and Documents relating to the Foreign Relations of Hungary, Volume 1, 1919–1920 (Budapest, 1939)

Documents

454 1920 empêchement transport ont été données aujourd'hui. Résultats de cette mesure encore inconnus. No. 449. 443o/pol. The Acting High Commissioner of Great Britain in Budapest, Mr. Athelstan-Johnson, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Teleki. BUDAPEST, July 13, 1920. With reference to my personal call on Your Excellency on Sunday last, I am in receipt of a telegram from His Majesty's Representative at Vienna,

1 giving me an account of the incident at Gönyü between the British Messenger and the Customs authorities. I am happy to say that the incident is not a serious one. On arriving at Gönyü the Messenger was asked by the Customs authorities to show a paper giving the number of bags he was carrying, and stating what their contents were. This paper he carries on him is in a sealed envelope, with orders to show it to the British receiving officers at Vienna, so he was compelled to refuse to comply with this request. Thereupon the Customs House authorities „threatened" to put him ashore, and there seems to have been considerable difficulty and delay, so that the boat arrived four hours late in Vienna. Meanwhile, not the Messenger, but presumably some unknown British traveller telephoned to General Gorton, informing him that this threat had been put into execution. The Messenger arrived in Vienna without further incident by boat. I need hardly point out to Your Excellency that the Customs authorities have no right to ask questions as to contents of bags addressed to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and sealed with the seal of this High Commission, but I am quite ready, in view of the present situation, should Your Excellency desire it, to furnish the Messenger with any papers that may be of assistance to the Hungarian Customs officials in performing their executive duties. 1 Lindley.