[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
CO 37665
[November 10.]
SECTION 1.
acce
Rraf 9 FC 10
No. 1.
[40972]
(No. 373.) Sir,
Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-Received November 10.)
Peking, October 22, 1910. WITH reference to my despatch No. 338 of the 30th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith the translation of a note which I have received from Prince Ch'ing in reply to the protest which I addressed to his Highness relative to the refusal of the Kuangyun Office to release a consignment of Patna and Malwa opium purchased by a native dealer from Messrs. Sassoon and Co. at Canton for conveyance to the province of Kiangsi for sale until the new tax had been paid, although full duty and li-kin on the opium had been paid.
Although the Wai-wu Pu state that they have repeatedly sent instructions to amend the procedure for enforcing what they persist in calling a tax upon prepared opium, and although, as reported in my despatch No. 362 of the 13th instant, certain concessions have been offered, the reply as a whole is again unsatisfactory, and merely serves to illustrate once more the futility of attempting to induce the Chinese to regard the new regulations as contrary to the spirit, if not to the letter, of the Chefoo convention.
I have already in my above-mentioned despatch offered certain observations on the propose concessions, and am awaiting a report from His Majesty's consul-general before going into the subject again. Meanwhile, Mr. Jamieson has furnished me with a summary of the charges of contravening the treaty which have been brought against the Chinese authorities and of their replies. His despatch No. 35 forwarding it is sent herewith in copy, together with his despatch No. 36,* enclosing the copies of further correspondence with the Acting Governor-General of the Liang Kuang.
I have approved the terms of Mr. Jamieson's letter to his Excellency of the 6th October.
I have, &c.
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir,
Prince Ch'ing to Mr. Max Müller.
Peking, October 17, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 28th ultimo, informing me that you are in receipt of a telegraphic communication from the Hong Kong Government to the effect that (here quotes paragraph 3 of Mr. Max Müller's note of the 28th September, 1910). You request (here quotes concluding paragraph of same note).
Upon receipt of your note under reply we communicated its contents to the Viceroy at Canton, and are now in receipt of his reply as follows:-
"The result of the enquiries which I ordered to be instituted is to the following effect. Since the institution of the new opium tax in all cases where merchants from other provinces have desired to convey raw opium for sale to the province of Kiangsi passports have been issued to them, as well as a document affording protection (to the opium) in transit. Up to date no case has arisen where compulsory paymont of the tax has been exacted, or where permission to convey has been refused.
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Again, in Canton and its surroundings there is no raw opium firm of the name of Shun Yi Hsin (Shiu).
Finally, raw opium previous to its conversion into the prepared drug, whether in the province of Kuangtung or under conveyance to neighbouring provinces, is merely examined to discover whether the holder has a licence to trade, and there is never any order to pay the new tax."
[2980 ----1]
* Not printed.
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