[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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OPIUM.
C
CONFIDENTIAL.
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TAMENDED COPY.]
No. 1.
4677
[January 19 FEB 12
SECTION 2.
Sir Edward Grey to British Delegates to International Opium Conference.
(No. 19.) Sir,
Foreign Office, January 19, 1912. WITH reference to Mr. Langley's telegram of the 15th instant, I transmit to you herewith copy of a declaration regarding the application of the proposed Opium Convention to His Majesty's dominions and Far Eastern possessions, which you should make and bave inserted in the "protocole de clôture" of the convention.
You will observe that the terms of this declaration differ slightly from those of the declaration contained in Mr. Max Müller's letter of the 13th instant addressed to Mr. Langley. The alterations have been made after consultation with the India Office and Colonial Office, who wished to make it quite clear that the convention did not bind the Indian Empire or any British dominions or colonies before the United Kingdom was bound by it. The substitution of the word "signing" for the words "adhering to was rendered necessary by the fact that all foreign States who are not represented at the conference are to be invited to sign the convention and not to adhere to it.
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I am, &c.
E. GREY.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Declaration.
WE declare that the articles of the present convention shall, if ratified by His Majesty's Government, apply to the British Indian Empire and to Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, and Wei-hai Wei in all respects as to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, but His Majesty's Government reserve the right of separately signing, or separately denouncing, the said convention on behalf of any of His Majesty's dominions, colonies, dependencies, or protectorates other than those specified.
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