132
2.98.
Excellency
12523
FORSICM OFFICE.
LOR
552
April {APR 07
Your Excellency:-
With reference to the Memorandum which you
communicated to me on March 2let on the subject of the
Oplum traffic in Chine, I have the honour to infd
Your Excellency that the American Ambassador made en-
quiries a short time ago whether His Majesty's Govern-
ment would join in an international Conference on the
question of the production of opium in China, es well
As of the import of foreign opium into that country, or
would prefer to name Commissioners who would investi-
pate the subject in concert with the Commissioners of
certain other Powers.
Mr. hitelaw Reid was informe" in reply tik
in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, proceditfe
by way of Commission would seem better adapted than
a Conference for an investigation of the facts of th
opium trade, and of the consequences of the opiua in
in the Par East. It was conceivable that a Confer
ence, if convened, might find that the materie p
Monsieur Cambon,
&C., &C., &C.,
befor