(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[2709]
No. 1.
54
C
[January 23245
SECTION 5.
05 R
May
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received January 23.)
(No. 17.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Peking, January 23, 1911. WITH reference to your telegram No. 11 of the 21st instant, I think the question would not be understood by cousuls unless they were fully acquainted with the progress of the negotiations in Peking.
It seems to me likely that much misapprehension may result from the introduction of earmarking system, and I fear that the Chinese Government may construe it as affording them a pretext for the exclusion of all opium not so marked.
I fear that still further confusion would result from the issue of special certificates covering all stocks at present existing, and that the Chinese might thus derive the conviction that there was nothing to prevent opium which was not earmarked or not furnished with special certificate being refused entrance.
I may remind you that the principle contained in the draft agreement of the 1st November, and reasserted in the Viceroy's telegram of the 30th December last, was that a time limit should be fixed for clearing off existing stocks. In my opinion it would be far better to adhere to this principle."
Delay is seriously compromising the chances of a successful issue to the negotiations, and I think they should be reopened at once. We should at the outset inform the Chinese that it is merely in anticipation of an agreement that we have commenced earmarking, and that neither stocks in hand nor any other unmarked opium are in any way affected thereby until the period of grace has elapsed and all the treaty Powers have accepted the revision of treaty stipulations.
I venture to think that no system of marking that we could devise would have nearly so great effect as a clear declaration in the above sense.
[1857 - -5]