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I am forwarding copies of this despatch to his Excellency the Viceroy of India and his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong.
I have, &c.
(Translation.) Sir,
(Signed)
Inclosure in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. JORDAN.
Peking, December 2, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's various communications on the subject of opium prohibition, in which the views of His Majesty's Government, in response to the detailed proposals of the Board, are conveyed, and to express to your Excellency my high appreciation of the cordial support which His Majesty's Government have lent in the accomplishment of this task.
I have now the honour to communicate to your Excellency seriatim the present proposals of the Board:--
1. Our assent to the proposal to commence from January 1908 the annual diminution of the quantity of opium exported from India to China, with a view to its final cessation in ten years, was signified to your Excellency last February. It is now the month of December 1907, and January 1908, the period from which the annual diminution of the export is to commence, is already close at hand.
The Board are willing to accept the present proposal of His Majesty's Government to put the arrangement experimentally into effect for a term of three years, with the proviso that, if during that period the Chinese Government shall have duly carried out arrangements on their part for diminishing the production and consumption of opium in China, His Majesty's Government undertake to continue in the same proportion this annual diminution of the export after the three years' trial period.
The number of chests given as the annual import into China of Indian opium differs, however, from the Board's own estimate. According to the Customs Trade Returns, during the five years 1901 to 1905, inclusive, the average total import was only 42,327 chests of 120 catties each. It is requested that the proportion annually diminished may be based upon that figure.
The import of Persian and other foreign opium will, of course, be limited in a corresponding manner.
2. The dispatch of an officer to Calcutta to watch the opium auctions and the packing is merely with a view to ascertaining the exact quantity exported, and has no other purpose whatever. The proviso with which His Majesty's Government qualified their assent, namely, that such officer should have no power to interfere, will of course be notified by the Board to the officer sent.
3. The original proposal to double the duty and li-kin charge on foreign opium was made with a view to utilizing the tax as a restrictive measure, and not with a view to increasing the revenue.
His Majesty's Government have raised three points upon which they require information in connection with the proposed tax and the value of the native drug. These are not questions which can be fully gone into at short notice. The Board therefore propose to postpone for the time being the levy of the double duty, and to reserve the question for future discussion.
4. With reference to the prohibition of the import of boiled opium into China from Hong Kong, His Majesty's Government have agreed that each country should take steps to prohibit the import into its own territory.
The Board will therefore direct the various provincial Superintendents of Customs to draw up strict regulations for a careful watch to be kept to prevent the smuggling of boiled opium into China.
5. With regard to the measures to be taken in the foreign Settlements and Concessions for the prohibition of opium shops, resorts for opium smoking, and of the sale of opium appliances, His Majesty's Government have agreed that if effective steps have been taken by the Chinese authorities beyond the limits of such Settlements or Concessions, the municipal authorities of these localities should also take effective steps on their own initiative, without awaiting the request to do so from the Chinese authorities. The intention of His Majesty's Government to accord the fullest measure of support to the efforts of the Chinese Government is amply evidenced by this action.
Numerous Imperial Edicts have already appeared commanding that the measures to be taken for the suppression of opium beyond the limits of Settlements and Concessions by the local Chinese authorities should be energetically put into effect. Present appearances go to prove, therefore, that the consumption of opium by the lower classes is already showing a sensible diminution, a fact the truth of which your Excellency can ascertain by inquiry.
6. His Majesty's Government have signified that they are fully prepared to co-operate in prohibiting the general importation of morphia and instruments for its injection as soon as the consent of all the Treaty Powers has been obtained.
The Board has the honour to inform your Excellency that correspondence which has passed between the Chinese Government and the various Powers has shown that they all share the view of His Majesty's Government, with the single exception of Japan, from whose Government no reply has yet been received. When the Japanese Government have replied signifying their consent, a further note will be circulated among the foreign Representatives.
To sum up, it is the earnest hope of China to effect the final and complete eradication of opium. Seconded as she is by the assistance of Great Britain, it is incumbent upon the Board to convey orders of a still more urgent nature to the local authorities to give energetic effect to the prohibitive measures.
I have the honour to request your Excellency to communicate the terms of this reply to His Majesty's Government, and avail, &c.
(Signed) Prince CHING,
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