T
(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,
OPIUM.
648375
RECO [Februar 4 MAR 10
CONFIDENTIAL..
[4007]
No. 1.
SECTION 1.
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.--(Received February 4.)
India Office, February 3, 1910. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th January, transmitting copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Minister in Peking relative to the action of His Majesty's consul at Foochow with regard to the closing of opium shops in the district of Ku-t'ien, and enquiring whether his Lordship approves of the proposal of the Foreign Office to communicate Mr. Playfair's version of the incident to the Archbishop of Canterbury and others who have made representations on the subject.
In reply, I am to say that Viscount Morley has no objection to this proposal if it commends itself to Sir Edward Grey. But he is disposed to think that it might be well to let the matter rest, in view of the fact that Cousul Playfair's action, though taken in good faith, has not received the support of Sir John Jordan, and that his explanation is not of a very conclusive character.
I am, &c.
R. RITCHIE.
[2636 d-1]