[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C. C.
[March 982
REC? SACTION 2
NC-5 APR 07.
505
[7669]
(No. 32.) Šír,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 9.)
Peking, January 21, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a letter which has been addressed to Sir Pelham Warren, His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae, by dealers in Indian opium in Shanghae, requesting information as to what action His Majesty's Government propose to take with regard to the proposals of the Chinese Government to prohibit the consumption of opium in China,
A note of the position of the signatories as to nationality is annexed.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
P.S.-I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Government of India.
J. N. J.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir,
Letter addressed to Consul-General Sir P. Warren by Opium Merchants in Shanghae,
THE proposals recently made by the Chinese Government to prohibit the con-
January 7, 1907. sumption of opium in China are naturally of such great importance to us British merchants who deal in this commodity that we think we are entitled to the earliest information as to what is proposed to be done in the matter by His Britannic Majesty's Government.
It may be known to you that India exports to China every year about 75,000 chests of opium of value of about 50,000,000 taels, and the whole trade is carried on by the British merchants, who at the present moment hold enormous stocks in Shanghae and Hong Kong, the value of which may be roughly put down at 10,000,000 taels, magnitude of these figures speaks for itself, and makes it obvious how our interests must be affected by the sudden contemplated changes.
The
Though we claim no voice on the question of the extinction of the trade, we do claim to be heard as to the manner in which such extinction should be carried out. It is most important that, in order not to entail heavy and ruinous losses on us, the suppression of the trade should be carried out gradually, and any measures that are framed should give ample time to the merchants to work off their stocks in hand or contracted for. We feel confident that the British authorities will not refuse to accept repre- sentations and suggestions from those so heavily interested, and specially qualified to give them.
When it is known definitely what regulations will be put in force, we merchants can provide accordingly, and the trade, though dwindling, will be carried on according to circumstances. For this reason, if for no other, we ask that we should be informed as soon as possible of the views of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
We therefore ask you as the Representative of His Britannic Majesty's Government
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