This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL
[40920]
No. 1.
523 46823 [November 23,
SECTION BIG 21 DEC 08,
(No. 495.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.(Received November 23.)
Peking, October 30, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 469 of the 9th instant, forwarding copies of King's Regulations which have been issued in Siam to assist me in drawing up King's Regulations in regard to the morphia prohibition, which will come into force on the 1st January, 1909.
As you will have observed from the inclosures contained in my despatch No. 444 of the 10th instant, the present Agreement regarding morphia between the Chinese Government and ourselves is partly based on Treaty and partly on an exchange of notes, and that no Imperial Decree has been issued; and it does not appear that the Siamese precedents can be usefully followed.
I have therefore drawn up a form of King's Regulations, which I have the honour to submit for your consideration. In this I have recited shortly the various steps which have led to the present arrangements, and I have suggested Regulations imposing, from the 1st January, 1909, penalties on the importation into China by British subjects of instruments for the injection of morphia, except in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 11 of the Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, for the importation of morphia; and also penalties on the manufacture in China by British subjects of morphia or instruments for its injection. The importation of morphia appears to be sufficiently dealt with, so far as British subjects are concerned, by Article 11 itself, in which the penalties for breaches are clearly stated.
As it is desirable that I should be in a position to issue the Regulations in time to reach His Majesty's Consulates before the 1st January, 1909, I venture to suggest that I may be informed of your views in regard to them by telegraph. Unless you see objection, I would propose, under the circumstances, to issue them as urgent.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
KING'S REGULATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 155 OF "THE CHINA AND COREA ORDER IN COUNCIL, 1904.”
No. of 1908.
Prohibition of the Importation and Manufacture of Morphia.
WHEREAS by Article 11 of the Commercial Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, His Britannic Majesty's Government agreed with the Chinese Government upon certain stipulations relating to the importation and manufacture of morphia into and in China;
And whereas His Britannic Majesty's Government having been notified by the Chinese Government of the concurrence of all other Treaty Powers in the stipulations aforesaid, it has been agreed that the said Article 11 shall come into force on and from the 1st day of January, 1909;
And whereas His Britannic Majesty's Government have agreed with the Chinese Government that further measures for the regulation of this matter should also come into force on and from the same date of the 1st January, 1909;
And whereas the Chinese Government have notified His Britannic Majesty's Government that the said further measures have been agreed to by all other Treaty Powers;
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