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it must be borne in mind that Shanghai is an international Settlement and though no doubt there is a large British majority on the Council, a matter such as the abolition of opium sale is one which had to be decided not only by the Council but also by the ratepayers, among whom are a large number of people of other nationalities. The municipality has, as you know, promised to reduce the opium divans done with a view to bringing them to an end in two years, i.e. in the summer of 1910.
Chinkiang is the only other British Concession, in which commerce in opium existed and the Municipal Council at once passed a regulation prohibiting the sale of prepared opium within the limits of the concession as soon as the matter was brought to their notice.
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