3
Copy.
No.204.
(32537).
Sir:-
REC
BRITISH EMBASSY, lg
TOKYO,
578
35163
• 19h 26 REF 08
August 19th, 1908.
In my despatch No.154 of June 16th when forward-
ing a report by His Majesty's Consul at Tamsul on
the economic situation in Formosa, I made the follow-
ing observations;
"It is interesting to note that there appears
to be no decrease in the opium habit in the island,
although one of the reasons put forward by the Japan-
ese Authorities more than ten years ago for institut-
ing a Government monopoly of the drug was that the
habit could be so much discouraged that it would
speedily die out".
The most recent news on the subject from Formosa
is not encouraging. It appears that the Formosa Gov-
ernment in their eagerness to obtain funds had re-
course to the following device. A great parade was
made
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P.,
&c., &c., &c.