2
on the present scale up to that date, and any change before then would be very inconvenient.
I shall be much obliged if you will kindly let me have an early reply.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
CHINA TRADE.
Yours sincerely, (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[April 27.]
SECTION 1.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
[12966]
No. 1.
Tong Shoa-yi to Sir J. Jordan.
(Translation.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letter (Telegraphic.) P. inquiring, under instructions from His Majesty's Government, whether the proposal in this Board's Memorandum on the opium traffic that after 1907 the Indian importation of opium into China should be diminished by one-tenth per annum was intended t
February 9, 1907,
(No. 44.)
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
OPIUM establishments in foreign Settlements in China. Your despatch No. 73 of the 6th February.
Foreign Office, April 27, 1907.
I
agree with your proposal that, before the foreign Consuls are approached by the
mean that this arrangement should start from the 1st January, 1908, and observing Chinese authorities, the Municipal Councils should be moved to close opium shops or that the Indian Government had made its arrangements, as usual, with the dealer dens, provided effective measures for closing the establishments outside the foreign
for the current year, and that any alteration would, of course, be inconvenient.
I bave the honour to state, in reply, that the prohibition of opium in China was fixed by Imperial Decree to become completely effective in ten years, and that thi time-limit should be reckoned from the present time to the end of the 42nd year Kuang Hsu (22nd January, 1917).
His Majesty's Government being now prepared to call on India to diminish he importation of opium into China, and in view of the wording in this Board Memorandum, which provides for steps being taken "after 1907," I leave the honou to state that there is no objection to reckoning the date of commencement from th 1st January, 1908; but as this will be eleven months later than the date which Chim intended to fix, or, roughly speaking, a year later, it is to be apprehended that in th last year of this period opium will still be brought into China where the prohibitio will have become already completely effective, and that, owing to the want of marke the importers may be put to loss. We would therefore request IIis Majesty Government to direct that the amount of opium imported into China, counting fro the 1st January, 1998, should be decreased by one-ninth part each year, so as to ceas entirely within the 42nd year of Kuang Hsu (3rd February, 1916, to the 22nd Januar 1917), and thus correspond with the steps taken by China. I have the honour i request your Excellency to lay this before His Majesty's Government for the consideration and consent.
I avail, &c.
Concessions have previously been taken.
[2448 dd-1]
105