[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[50742]
No. 1.
[December 18.]
SECTION 3.
Sir,
Foreign Office to India Office.
Foreign Office, December 18, 1911. WITH reference to my letter of the 15th instant, on the subject of the Opium Conference, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to state, for the information of the Marquess of Crewe, that Mr. Max Müller, writing on behalf of the British delegates, has called attention to the fact that the expression "prepared opium," as defined by the conference, is intended to refer simply to opium prepared for consumption by smoking or eating, and not to opium dried or powdered for the manufacture of morphia.
It appears that all of the States represented at the conference, with the exception of Portugal-who is unwilling to make any concession likely to injure the trade of Macao-have agreed to the proposed resolution prohibiting the importation and exportation of prepared opium, and it would be regrettable if His Majesty's Govern- ment were obliged to associate themselves with Portugal alone in this respect.
As it is anticipated that it may be possible to terminate the labours of the conference at the end of this week, Sir E. Grey would be glad to be placed in a position to send telegraphic instructions to the delegates in regard to the proposed resolution at an early date.
I am, &c.
F. A. CAMPBELL.
[2297 s-3]
359