COPY.
C O
27079
561
Rece
Hongkong, 22nd July, 1910.
C. Clementi, Esq.
Assistant Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
In reply to your communication of this date enclosing copy
of a letter from H.B.M.s Consul General at Canton, we have the honour to state that the withdrawal of the regulation prescribing the time limit within which opium must be boiled down will, so far as it goes,
remove one of the harassing measures to the trade. Such withdrawal,
however, without the removal of the tax and other regulations recently
adopted will not be considered by those concerned as a relief to the
situation and we must ineist on the restoration of the same conditions
as those prevailing prior to the enforcement of the new regulations.
The Wai-Wu-Pu has already admitted the illegality of taxing
raw opium and His Excellency the Charge D'Affaires in Peking supports
us in our view that even prepared opium cannot be taxed in a treaty
Port. We have already pointed out in our previous correspondence the
serious effect that the delay in the withdrawal of the tax and
regulations is causing to our trade and we therefore sincerely hope
that the British Authorities will not allow China to procrastinate
any longer.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servante,
DAVID SASSON & CO.LTD.
(sd) R. Joseph.
Manager.
(ed) E.D.Sassoon & Co.