18th of July last.
I am, Dir, Jam,
Your
most obedient
humble Servant.
RECEIVED
6083
(hege 7 APR 80)
No. 42.
The Earl of Rosebery to the Marquis Tseng.
M. le Ministre,
SINCE the date of your communication of the 24th ultimo, and my reply of the 5th instant, I have learnt with some surprise from Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking that the Chinese Government do not propose to put the Opium Agreement of the 18th July last into effect until the Hong Kong Commission shall have reported.
It was in consequence of the urgent request contained in your letter above referred to that Her Majesty's Government consented to give immediate effect to the Agreement without waiting for the formal exchange of ratifications.
I am, therefore, somewhat at a loss to understand why it is now proposed to postpone its execution for an indefinite time.
I should be glad, M. le Ministre, if you could inform me of the reasons for this change of plan, and if you could, at the same time, name the date at which it may be expected that the ratifications will be ready for exchange.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROSEBERY.
Foreign Office, March 23, 1886.