[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
0
37665
Rro 9 DEC 10
OPIUM.
[November 22.]
SECTION 1,
CONFIDENTIAL,
[42530]
Sir,
No. 1.
Messrs. E. D. and Messrs. D. Sassoon and Co. to Foreign Office.- (Received November 22.)
9, Fenchurch Avenue, London, November 21, 1910. WE have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, and note that protests have been lodged by His Majesty's chargé d'affaires at Peking, and also by His Majesty's consul-general at Canton, against the recent Kiangshi province proclamation.
We take this opportunity of informing you that the following telegram has reached us from Hong Kong:--
"There is a strong rumour in Canton that tax is likely to be increased to 500 dollars.
In view of the Canton Viceroy's previous announcement that the intention was to increase the tax more and more until the trade was extinguished, the above rumour will probably prove correct, although the question of the original tax is still under consideration. In the meantime we observe from a "Times" telegram from Peking of the 15th instant the following:-
"Many reports from the interior show that the suppression of the opium trade is not proceeding in a satisfactory manner, In Kansu a considerable increase in planting is reported. The Customs returns show that 28,000 pieuls of Hunan and Szechuan opium passed through Ichang this year."
These reports tend to cast doubt upon the sincerity of the Chinese in their attitude towards the suppression of opium, and suggest what we have repeatedly pointed out, namely, that the real object they have in view is to obtain for themselves the monopoly of a valuable trade.
We have, &c.
E. D. SASSOON AND CO. D. SASSOON AND CO. (Limited),
(D. GUBBON, Manager).
[2980 y--1]
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