4
Conference that the Government and people of my country are determined to succeed in their object, and will not by any means turn aside from accomplishing the task before them.
As to the methods to be employed in accomplishing this end, the main idea will be to prohibit the cultivation of the poppy, the sale of the drug, and the consumption thereof. It is only to be apprehended that in putting into effect the law for this prohi- bition it may conflict with certain clauses of the Treaties. It is my hope that this Conference will carefully investigate the matter beforehand so that there may be no misunderstandings in the future. In this my speech I do not know whether I have been successful in gaining the approval of the honourable gentlemen of this distin- guished assembly, but I am ready to receive such suggestions as may be instructive to me from this honourable assembly, whereby I shall indeed be fortunate. Therefore I now declare this Conference opened.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
List of the International Opium Commission.
America, United States of....
Bishop Brent.
Dr. Hamilton Wright,
Dr. C. D. Tenney.
Austria-Hungary
Dr. Karl Bernauer.
China-
Liu Yu Lin.
Hsu Hua Ching.
Tang Kuo An.
Jai Ch'ing,
Assistant Commis-
Great Britain (continued)—
Mr. Mackenzie King.
Mr. James Bennett Brunyate.
Mr. R. Laidlaw, M.P.
Mr. C. Clementi, Assessor. Mr. W. D. Barnes,
Italy-
Signor R. Faraone.
Japan-
33
H. E. Tsunejiro Miyaoka.
Dr. R. Tahara.
Dr. T. Takaki,
Netherlands-
M. A. A. de Jongh.
Ts'ai Nai Huang,
Wu Pao Yen,
F. A. Carl,
J. L. Chalmers,
sioners or Assessors.
F. W. Carey,
M. W. G. van Wettum.
Persia
France-
M. Jules Ratard.
M. Henri Brenier.
M. J. Cornillon,
Germany---
Dr. Walther Roessler.
Dr. G. Pernitzsch.
Great Britain-
Right Honourable Sir Cecil Clementi
Smith, P.C., G.C.M.G.
Sir Alexander Hosie, Kt.
C.O
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[8042]
No. 1.
750
C.O. 11308
[March 1.]
10.00
SECTION 3.
REG 1 APR 09
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 1.)
(No. 64.) Sir,
Peking, February 10, 1909. WITH reference to my despatch No. 12 of the 6th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of further correspondence that has passed between the Governor of Hong Kong and myself respecting the protest of the Hong Kong opium merchants against the regulations limiting the number of dealers in raw opium in the Two Kuang provinces. As you will observe, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce has written to the Colonial Secretary supporting the attitude of the British dealers in opium, while in my despatch to Sir F. Lugard I have pointed out that, from the information at my disposal, it would seem that the restrictive measures complained of have had no injurious effect upon the Indian opium trade in the provinces in question, and that I do not see my way to depart from the attitude which I have assumed as reported to you in my despatch No. 12 aforementioned, pending the receipt of your definite instructions.
Sir,
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JOKDAN.
Hadji M. D. Rizaeff.
Portugal-
Senhor O, G. Potier.
Commendador C. A. R. d'Assumpção,
Russia-
M. C. Kleimenow.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. Lugard to Sir J. Jordan.
Government House, Hong Kong, January 14, 1909.
IN continuation of my letter of the 17th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit the inclosed copy of a letter from the Secretary to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, dated the 8th instant.
2. The letter from the Chairman of the Chamber dated the 3rd September, 1907, to which reference is made, was transmitted to the Colonial Office in my despatch No. 237 of the 19th idem, and I was informed by Lord Elgin that a copy of it was communicated to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to you by the Chamber at the time.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
F. D. LUGARD.
Siam--
Phya Sakdisenie.
Luang Visutr Kosa. Phra Manasmanit,
Sir,
Mr. Williams to Mr. May.
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, January 8, 1909.
I BEG to inform you that the British firms dealing in raw opium in this Colony, have forwarded to the Chamber of Commerce a copy of their letter to you dated 9th ultimo, and of theirs to the Consul-General at Canton dated 23rd September, with a request that my Committee take such steps as may appear desirable to assist them in combatting the action now being taken by the Chinese authorities in the Two Kuang, which is calculated to hamper the trade in imported opium.
This letter has been considered by my Committee, who are entirely in accord with the view expressed by the British merchants in the two letters above referred to.
The letters in question have so fully dealt with the matter that little remains to be added,
My Committee consider that the merchants have made out a clear case of breach of Treaty against the officials in the neighbouring provinces. It cannot, in the opinion of my Committee, be denied that the regulations now being enforced to limit the
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