the Governor of Kiangsu, as well as the high authorities of other provinces, the Revenue Council, the High Court of Justice, and the Governor of Peking.
This Memorial has been drafted by the Board of Laws after consultation with the Imperial Commissioners for Law Reform and the delay in submitting it has been due to the time required for exchanging correspondence on the subject.
On the 16th July the following Imperial Decree was issued; "Approved."
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[38788]
637
[November 7.]
SECTION 1.
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received November 7.)
(No. 444.) Sir,
Peking, October 10, 1908. WITH reference to your telegram No. 122 of the 7th instant, I have the honour to inclose, for your information, copies of correspondence respecting the prohibition of the general importation of morphia into China, under Article 11 of the Treaty of the 5th September, 1902.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.
(Translation.) Sir,
Peking, September 28, 1908. WITH reference to the question of prohibiting the importation of morphia into China, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that, as a result of repeated representations on the part of this Board to the various foreign Representatives in Peking, replies have now been received from each, signifying the concurrence of their respective Governments in such a measure; and whereas effect should be given to this decision as soon as possible, it is now intended to prohibit the importation, at any Chinese port, of morphia, or instruments for its injection, from the 1st January, 1909.
As regards the supply necessary for medical purposes, the following method of procedure has been elaborated ---
Any foreign doctor wishing to import morphia must execute a bond before his Consular authorities, declaring that it is for his own use or solely for use in a specified hospital.
Any foreign druggist wishing to import morphia must similarly execute a bond before his Consular authority, pledging himself not to retail it without a foreign doctor's prescription, and, even when a prescription is produced, that he will only sell small quantities.
"The Consular authority will thereupon transmit the bond, and the exact details of the amount to be imported to the Imperial Maritime Customs, and when the Imperial Maritime Customs have issued a special permit the consignment may be landed.
46
Any infringement of the terms of the bond will debar the offending party from ever obtaining permission in the future to import morphia.
"The Tariff duty to be levied on such importations will be reduced to 5 per cent. ad valorem. If consignments are imported without a special permit, they will be confiscated by the Customs. Consignments already afloat previous to 1st January, 1909, will be granted a reasonable time-limit by the Imperial Maritime Customs within which they may be imported, but such consignments will be subject to the present rate of duty, and will not benefit by the reduced scale.
14
Finally, whereas China agrees to prohibit the manufacture of morphia and appliances for its injection by Chinese tradespeople, the Powers also agree to prohibit the manufacture in China of morphia or appliances for its injection by any of their nationals."
The above Articles represent the arrangements which were agreed upon between China and the Powers for prohibiting the morphia traffic, and, in communicating them to your Excellency, I have the honour to request that they may be brought to the knowledge and attention of all British subjects.
While awaiting also the honour of a reply, I avail, &c.
[2020 g-1]
(Signed)
Prince CHING.