8854/08
sir,
Enclosure
ho..
love House.
17th. December,
500
With reference to Your Excellency's letter
of the 30th. of last October I have the honour to transmit,
at the request of the signatories, copy of a letter address
-ed by them to the Colonial Secretary dated the 9th.instant
and a copy of a letter addressed by them to Wis Britannic
Majesty'a Acting Consul General, Canton dated the 23rd, of
last Septembar on the subject of the action of the Provin-
cial Government which it is alleged will have the affect of
restricting the sale of imported opiw.
2.
While agreeing with Your Excellency that it
is doubtful whether the Regulations introduced by the Can-
ton Provincial Authorities for the control of the trade in
raw opium can be regarded as doine more than reproducing
the rules framed for the enforcement of the opium edint of
September 20th, 1905, it appears to me that those rules
were themselves in some respects a violation of British
treaty rights, and cannot therefore where conflicting with
such rights be pleaded in justification of provincial pro-
clamations.
I have the honour to ha,
sir,
Your Excellency's most obediant
Bervant,
Hia Britannis Majesty's Minister,
PRKIN G.
Governor,&c.