might also lead them to desire to postpone the holding of the conference in their own
country.
The present position of affairs was stated by him to be as follows: The French and German Governments had already expressed their willingness to meet in accordance with the conditions laid down by His Majesty's Government, and were understood to have the facts needed all in their possession as regards the inclusion of the question of regulating the sale of morphine and cocaine.
The Portuguese Government had declared that they fully expected to be ready to go to the conference by the 16th October, a date which had been suggested, while the Japanese Government had intimated that they held that their acceptance, already conveyed, of the previous invitation made it needless for them to repeat this formally to the Government of the Netherlands, who had apparently asked for it.
I informed Dr. Wright that I had no means of verifying this information, and he replied that it had been already communicated to you by Mr. Reid in London.
Dr. Wright has the eagerness of the specialist who has been placed in charge, and I believe, probably he is himself urging the State Department to press things forward. however, that the United States Government are really desirous that the matter should go promptly forward, and that the President, who has been in China, and continues warmly interested in its welfare, is responsive to the requests which it seems the The Chinese, Chinese Government has made to the United States for action. Dr. Wright says, declare that they are doing all they can, but find difficulties which the conference, and drastic measures to be approved by it, would enable them to
overcome.
He observed that an immense amount of American capital was involved in the trade in these articles which it would be necessary to disturb, but added that as the stoppage of their production as ordinary articles of commerce would enable their price as drugs used in medicine to be raised, the manufacturers need not suffer.
I ultimately promised to telegraph to you in the sense desired by the United States Government, which I did (see my telegram No. 145 of the 6th September); but in doing so I expressed the wish that it would be explained to Mr. Reid, in order to remove any possible misapprehension on the latter's part, that this was done wholly at their request, and I intimated my own feeling that as the matter had been so far dealt with in London between you and Mr. Reid it might be better that this should continue to be the method followed.
I have, &c.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Goresquunt.] 21
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[37795]
Sir.
No. 1.
32749
9 OCT J!
[September 27.]
SECTION 1.
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received September 27.)
India Office, September 26, 1911.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th September, and, in reply, to state that his Lordship concurs in the proposal contained in the penultimate paragraph with reference to the subjects to be discussed at The Hague Opium Conference.
&c.
LIONEL ABRAHAMS.
[2182 dd-1]
ain,
Enclosure in No. 1.
Mr. Wilson to Mr. Bryce.
JAMES BRYCE.
Department of State, Washington, August 30, 1911.
My dear Mr. Ambassador,
OWING to the complications which have arisen relative to the proposed International Opium Conference, I have entrusted this note to Dr. Hamilton Wright, a delegate to the conference, who will make clear the steps taken by this Government since Sir Edward Grey stated in May last that as soon as the Governments concerned were in position to comply with certain conditions, His Majesty's Government would only be too happy to take part in the conference.
Dr. Wright will also be very glad to explain any points which you may desire to have made clear to you.
In view of the President's personal interest in the International Opium Conference, and in the early consummation of the great ideal to which the nations are pledged, I am writing to you in the hope that you will be good enough to make known to your Government how great is the interest of the United States in this conference, and how earnestly this Government trusts that there may be no further delay in its assembling.
ain, &c.
HUNTINGTON WILSON,
Acting Secretary of State.