[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[7384]
No. 1.
566
[February 27.
SECTION 4.
673
Rece
Sir,
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 27.)
Hong Kong, February 2, 1911.
I BEG to confirm my telegram of yesterday's date reading as follows :-
$4
Referring previous telegrams, Viceroy, Canton, now arranged Opium Monopoly with Canton Opium Guild to come into force at once increase amounts to further increase of 200 dollars per chest, making present total illegal tax 480 dollars per chest. Guild guarantees 240,000 dollars per mensem. Viceroy admits tax levied cover loss abolition gambling monopoly. Hong Kong Chamber strenuously protests against this further flagrant breach treaties, urges His Majesty's Government necessity prompt action in interests not only of British opium merchants but also British trading prestige generally.-HEWETT, Chairman.'
This message will, I believe, fully advise you as to the present condition of affairs in regard to the raw opium trade in Kwangtung.
As any previous despatches will have explained, in our protests against the breach of treaties committed by the past and present Viceroys of the Two Kwang in respect to the opium trade, we have hitherto been supported by the native Opium Guild of Canton, and have been indebted to them for valuable information given as to the action of the Viceroys and the effect of their regulations on the trade.
It would now appear that the Viceroy has found it to his advantage to come to terms with the guild, and by placing the monopoly in their hands has purchased their support.
One reason for this step seems to have been that the original monopolist was suspected of not dealing fairly with the Viceroy, who in any case does not appear to have derived the benefit he had expected from the monopoly.
Be this at it may, the position is now that the guild will in future control the monopoly, and will collect an additional tax of 200 dollars per chest, making the total amount of this new and entirely illegal impost 480 dollars per chest.
As you are well aware, this chamber has repeatedly protested during the past ten months against the action of the Viceroys.
We now again record our most strenuous protest against the continuance of this illegal interference with our trade.
The Viceroy a short time ago frankly admitted that the money was required to replace the loss to the provincial treasury caused by the cessation of the gambling monopoly, while a proclamation just issued by the provincial treasurer under instructions from the Viceroy, a translation of which is enclosed, states that the tax will from time to time be increased as the quantity of raw opium imported into the province decreases, so as to supply the full sum annually required by the Viceroy. The new rules regulating the raw opium trade are included in this proclamation, one of the conditions being that no one can deal in raw opium without a licence from the guild, this licence only being granted on condition that the opium is boiled within a month after purchase.
The committee of this chamber cannot but view with great uneasiness this continued and flagrant ignoring of treaty rights by the provincial authorities, particularly as we understand definite instructions have been sent from Peking to the Viceroy that he should revert to the status quo ante pending a full discussion between the Wai-wu Pu and His Majesty's representative at Peking.
This long-continued flouting of a leading treaty Power by one of the local officials necessarily gives rise to the greatest uneasiness on our part, as we cannot but feel that this is inflicting a very serious, possibly irreparable, blow to British prestige in the Empire of China, when the provincial officials are permitted month after month to ignore all or any treaty rights of foreigners when it pleases them to do so, and in the face of instructions from their central Government to levy illegal dues on foreign trade,
[1897 dd-4]