4
monopolies (opium, &c.) in the Straits Settlements for 1910, states that "all except three of the bottles of cocaine seized (and there were several thousand) bore the name of Merck, of Darmstadt." The Chinese also complain of large imports of morphia from Japan, notwithstanding the treaty of 1902 prohibiting its import, which treaty was not ratified by Japan till the 1st January, 1909, a month before the opening of the Shanghai commission. This delay was similarly attributed to the influence of the Japanese merchants interested in the traffic. Our long experience of the powerful influence brought to bear upon our own Government by those financially interested in the opium trade leads us to regard it as highly probable that similar influences should We have found be employed on behalf of the German traders in morphia aud cocaine.
it necessary to combat these influences by bringing counteracting pressure to bear on the part of those who are interested in the moral uplift of the Eastern peoples; and it has been acknowledged in the highest quarters that the present favourable position of the opium question as regards China is largely due to the protest of the Christian churches against the great national sin of the Indo-Chinese opium traffic, encouraging and supporting the noble efforts of the Chinese Government and people.
We therefore hope that the representatives of the German missionary societies may deem it to be right to make such representations to their Government on this question as may serve to counteract the interested pressure of those concerned in the morphia and cocaine tratles. It appears to us that the British Government is right in contending that without the inclusion of these branches of trade it will be impossible satisfactorily to deal with the opium question, as there is much evidence to show the reality of the danger that morphia or cocaine may otherwise take the place of opium in many cases. We therefore commend this question to your serious and prayerful consideration.
My dear Sir,
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Dr. Richter to Dr. Maxwell.
Schesambeck Belsig, September 20, 1911. YOUR favour of the 13th September with the accompanying memorandum was duly received. It will interest you to hear that the German "Ausschuss" has already brought to bear its influence on our Foreign Office with regard to the opium crusade. Under the 26th May, 1911, we have received the following very friendly answer, which I give in the original text:-
[Here follows extract].
In view of this official declaration it seems to me almost impossible that Germany should be the Power alluded to, whose participation at the proposed conference at The Hague is still uncertain. I have no authorisation to communicate you the words of the above-mentioned answer of our Foreign Office. Yet in case you should wish to make public use of it I should try to get permission for you to do so from our "Ausschuss." We on our side had the impression that there might be another Power objecting to a further anti-opium conference at so early a date, but it is useless to propound our suppositions.
There might, perhaps, be some slight possibility that German exporters of cocaine and morphia have brought pressure to bear on our Government against the inclusion of these drugs in an international anti-opium legislation. Of course this question is so difficult and delicate that a committee like the "Ausschuss" is hardly able and competent to give an authoritative opinion on it. Nevertheless the "Ausschuss" would certainly seriously consider the question if any reliable material proving the facts of such selfish interference of German exporters could be ascertained. The Ausschuss" would regard it as highly unwise to act on mere conjectures and combinations in a case like this.
<
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[39847]
Sir,
34597
REC
REG 27 OCT IF
[October 10.]
SECTION 1.
No. 1.
Board of Trade to Foreign Office.-(Received October 10.)
WITH further reference to your letter of the 7th September, with regard to the
Board of Trade, October 9, 1911. manufacture of morphia and cocaine in this country, I am directed by the Board of Trade to inform you that all the principal firms engaged in the manufacture of morphia have declined to furnish any information as to the quantity manufactured in this country. The Board understand that the manufacture of morphia for the markets of the world, other than the United States of America, whose requirements are supplied almost entirely by American manufacturers, is, to a large extent, in the hands of a small number of manufacturers in the United Kingdom, and that they are exceedingly unwilling to disclose particulars of the magnitude of their output, and have resisted several attempts to obtain information on the subject which have been made by druggists in the United States of America and elsewhere.
no
The quantity of opium retained for consumption or further manufacture in the United Kingdom is of course ascertainable from the Customs statistics, but there means of knowing how much of this is used in the manufacture of morphia and how much in other ways, including the manufacture of tinctures, extracts, &c. quantity used for the latter purposes is in any case considerable,
The
As regards cocaine, the Board learn, as the result of their enquiries, that the quantity of hydrochloride of cocaine (the only form in which the drug is used to any extent) which is manufactured in the United Kingdom is practically negligible, the supply for use in this country being derived from the continent, especially Germany. Such small exports as are recorded as of British manufacture are stated to be mainly of German origin, though packed and distributed by suppliers in the United Kingdom.
I am, &c.
GEO. J. STANLEY.
[2226 k-1]
Yours, &c.
DR. JULIUS RICHTER.
84