t
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COPY.
Enclosure 1.
169
Prince's Buildings,
The Honourable
Sir,
Mr. A. H. Thomson,
Colonial Secretary.
Ice House Street,
Hongkong, December 23rd., 1912.
C.0. 2219
RECO [F...G920 JAN 13
We are instructed on behalf of all the Chinese Merchants in this Colony who deal in opium to write you with reference to the recent restrictions imposed by the Chinese Govern- -ment on the importation of Opium into China and on Opium Smoking.
There are at present in Go downs in this Colony a considerable number of chests of Opium already sold by our clients to Chinese Opiun dealers in Canton and others places in China but the latter have failed and in fact refused to take delivery from our clients of such Opium and this solely on account of the restrictions already referred to.
In consequence of the action of the Chinese authori- -ties the Opium in this Colony has largely depreciated in value and our clients estimate their losses at considerably over Two Millions of Dollars.
We would point out that the Chinese Government in totally restricting the importation of Opium and prohibiting the smoking thereof are acting entirely in opposition to the letter and spirit of the Opium agreement of 191. The plain intention of that agreement was that suppression should be gradual and should extend generally over the unexpired period of the 7 years mentioned in the preamble to such agreement, that is until the end of the year
1917.
We shall be glad if you will at once communicate by cable on this subject with His Majesty's Government with a view to getting His Majesty's Goverment to insist upon the performance by China of the agreement of 1911, the breach of which agreement is now subjecting the various Opium Lerchants to ruinous losses.