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the internal government of China, and it would appear that you have no right to interfere therein.
I avail, &c.
(Seal of Governor-General.)
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Consul-General Jamieson to Viceroy Yüan,
Your Excellency,
Canton, November 2, 1909. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's communi- eation of the 31st October, in reply to my despatch of the 18th October, having reference to the restrictions imposed at Canton on the wholesale opium trade, in which British merchants are interested.
I gather therefrom that, in your Excellency's opinion, any interference on my part in this matter, which is stated to be one concerning the internal government of China, is uncalled for. Stress is also laid on Great Britain's friendly assistance in the suppression of opium, and it is therefore contended that the measures adopted should be welcomed by her.
Permit me, in reply, to point out that the agreement to assist in suppressing the opium evil was one arrived at between our two Governments, and its interpretation accordingly lies with them.
On the strength of certain facts laid before him, the representative of the British Government, His Majesty's Minister at Peking, has come to the conclusion that the spirit of the agreement is being infringed, and he has requested the representative of the Chinese Government, the Wai-wu Pu, to move your Excellency to have all restrictions on legitimate British trade removed. The latter have promised him that instructions to this effect would be sent, thereby acknowledging the justice of his
contention.
How, then, can it be said that, in view of the fact that the wholesale trade in British opium at this port is at a standstill in consequence of certain action taken by the provincial authorities, my interference in the matter is uncalled for?
In conclusion I would wish to state that prohibitive measures affecting the legitimate trade of British merchants, which are not sanctioned by the agreement between the two Governments, constitute a direct contravention of long-standing treaty arrangements, and I should be sorry to think that your Excellency would be a party thereto. May I therefore again request that instructions in the sense of my previous despatch be issued ?
I have, &e.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
J. W. JAMIESON.
Memorandum communicated by Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
WITH reference to opium prohibition at Canton, the Board bad the honour to forward to Sir J. Jordan a memorandum containing the report of the Canton Viceroy, in which he requested that His Majesty's consul-general should be instructed not to argue the matter further. Subsequently, after an interview which Sir J. Jordan had with the Board over this question, the Board addressed further telegrams to the Canton Viceroy, and his reply has now been received as follows:----
"The measures taken in Canton province for the prohibition of opium are in accordance with the regulations issued by the Government Council, with the sanction of the throne, and there has been no institution of drastic measures for this province separately. As regards the dislocation of the trade in foreign opium, I find that, although the import of foreign opium from Hong Kong this autumn has somewhat decreased, yet, according to the customs returns for the summer months, the amount of foreign opium imported was 2,540 piculs, as compared with a total for the same period last year of only 2,150 piculs. The total of the increased import is therefore about 400 piculs. If we compare the summer months, the trade in foreign opium has not only not suffered any loss, but, on the contrary, the import has increased.
It is
quite evident that the Chinese dealers bought large stocks of foreign opium this summer, with the result that at the present time the import is proportionately less. This is a state of affairs which frequently happens in commerce. Moreover, the smokers in Canton province have not all broken off smoking, so that if we consider the principle of supply and demand there can be no question of the cessation of the import of foreign opium. As regards the sale of goods, there are times when trade is brisk and when trade is stagnant, and it is not only foreign opium that is affected in this manner. The province is now carrying out the Imperial regulations for the prohibition of opium, and unless we insist on the necessity of a licence for purchasing opium, we shall have no means of dealing with the question."
The Board, in addition to having again telegraphed to the Canton Viceroy, have the honour to communicate the above.
November 26, 1900.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce to Sir J. Jordan.
Sir,
September 30, 1909. I BEG to confirm my telegram of the 23rd instant sent through the Hong Kong and Shanghac Banking Corporation, which reads as follows:---
"In consequence of representations made by British opium firms, chamber of commerce bring to your Excellency's notice the fact that Chinese officials in Kuangtung are again imposing regulations complained of in our telegram 24th September last, and which we were informed in your despatch to Governor, Hong Kong, dated 5th February, would apply to native opium only.-HEWETT, Chairman.”
The committee of the chamber held a meeting on the 23rd instant, when this question was fully discussed, the manner in which these impositions and restrictions had been placed upon the free trade of foreign opium being explained in a memo- randum from the British opium firms.
A letter on the subject signed by all these firms has since heen received by the chamber of commerce, a copy of which I beg to enclose for your Excellency's information.
We are given to understand that Mr. Consul-General Fox at Canton has endeavoured to get this question set right, but that the latest interview he had had with the Viceroy was of a very unsatisfactory nature.
The restrictions which the Chinese anthorities are now attempting to impose upon the trade in foreign opium are much the same as those of which we complained last year, when the question was fully set forth in our telegram to your Excellency of the 24th September, 1908, advised in our letter of the 9th October, 1908, with which we forwarded a copy of a letter from the opium merchants in Hong Kong dated the 23rd September, 1908.
These letters and the enclosures so fully explained the situation that it does not seem necessary to again go over the ground.
The arguinents which were then put forward against the action on the part of the Chinese officials apply with equal force in the present instance, and were practically admitted by your Excellency, as would appear from the concluding paragraph of your despatch to the Governor of Hong Kong dated the 5th February, 1909, when you suggested that foreign opium should be excluded from the regulations which had been drawn up to control the wholesale trade.
We trust, therefore, that your Excellency will be good enough to again take the matter up
with the Wai-wu Pu, and with the same happy result that attended your efforts last autumn.
I have, &c.
[Unsigned.]
P.S. Since writing the above I have received a letter from the Hong Kong Government which gives your cable reply to the chamber's telegram.
I would ask you to accept the best thanks of the chamber for your prompt action towards the protection of British trade.
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