[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[25527]
No. 1.
23538
[July 1.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received July 1.)
India Office, June 30, 1911.
IN continuation of Sir R. Ritchie's letter dated the 31st May, 1911, on the subject of the sales of Bengal opium, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, for Sir Edward Grey's information, a copy of a telegram from the Government of India.
I am to suggest that Messrs. E. D. and David Sassoon and Co. should be informed that, in view of the terms of the Government of India (Finance Department) notifica- tion of the 27th June, 1910, regarding the sale of Bengal opium in the calendar year 1911, the Government of India will require to give three months' notice before they can reduce or discontinue the sales of Bengal opium. As they have now sold the stipulated quantity of certified Bengal opium, the July and future sales will consist of uncertified opium.
I am, &c.
ED. MONTAGU.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
(Telegraphic.) P.
Government of India to the Earl of Crewe.
June 21, 1911.
PLEASE refer to your telegram dated the 8th June: Opium. Wo realise that for our own good it is important to reduce the quantity of uncertified opium which time would allow to arrive at treaty ports before they are closed. We cannot, however, stop the July sale, and the opium then sold will necessarily include some which is uncertified. The notification which was issued a year ago regulating this year's sales stated definitely that unless three months' previous notice were given no reduction in monthly quantities would be made. A reduction might possibly be made in the amount to be sold in the last quarter of 1911, and we are examining the whole matter very carefully in order to be able, if necessary, to submit proposals to that effect. To help us to arrive at a decision, we should be glad of the information which you offer to get. But we must also be guided by the recorded consumption in former years of countries outside China, and by our auction results. The inflated prices in China must seriously have disorganised the ordinary require- ments of other places, and our view is that any reduction which may be made on our 16,000 chests should be cautious and experimental. Judging by the strength which China has exhibited in the whole opium problem, she is competent, without help from us, to adopt measures which will effectively prevent smuggling, and we would point out that the only measure which would completely abolish risk contemplated by Sir J. Jordan would be total refusal on our part to supply non-China markets.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA: FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
IT is hereby notified---
Separate Revenue: Opium.
NOTIFICATION,
1. That in the calendar year 1911 not more than 31,440 chests of Bengal opium will be offered for sale, and not more than 2,620 chests in each month of the year.
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