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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[16081]
No. 1.
[April 17.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.--(Received April 17.)
Downing Street, April 16, 1912. WITH reference to your letter of the 30th March, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to he laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey, a copy of a Confidential despatch from the Governor of the Straits Settlements, in which he encloses a statement of the exports of opium to Macao since the 1st July, 1911, and reports that exportation has been prohibited until further notice.
2. Mr. Harcourt considers that Sir A. Young's action is reasonable and proper in the circumstances, and, so far as this point is concerned, he would suggest that the best course would be to inform the Portuguese Government that the steps which have been taken in the Straits Settlements are not intended to convey any reflection on the Portuguese authorities, but that the Colonial Government is not willing that Singapore should be used as an entrepôt for the traffic in opium.
last.
3. I am, however, to enclose a copy of a telegram from the Governor, from which it will be observed that 300 more chests have been bought in Calcutta for Macao, making a total of 935 chests known to have been purchased since the 1st of November As has been pointed out in the letter from this department of the 31st January, the diversion to Macao of eo large a proportion of the stock of uncertificated opium which is available for non-Chinese markets must have the result of increasing greatly the price of raw opium in the Calcutta market, and thus to cause inconvenience and loss to the Government of the Straits Settlements and to other administrations. Mr. Harcourt would, therefore, be glad if Sir Edward Grey would consider the possibility of making representations to the Portuguese Government upon the subject.
I am, &c.
H. J. READ.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir,
Governor of Straits Settlements to Mr. Harcourt.
Singapore, March 6, 1912.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your cypher telegram of the 28th February asking for a complete statement of shipments of opium to Macao since the 1st July, 1911.
2. I annex the return asked for, which shows that 635 chests of opium have been exported to Macao since that date. I regret that owing to my absence from Singapore upon before until the 19th February your telegram of the 17th February was not acted the shipment of the 20th February was made.
3. An order in council under section 5 (2) of the Chandu Revenue Ordinance, 1909 (No. XXI of 1909), prohibiting the export of opium from the colony to Macao, except on a certificate signed by the consul for Portugal that it was required for the opium farm of Macao, was agreed to by the members of the Executive Council on the 26th February, but as I considered that the opium farmer was the person who was importing the opium probably for illicit purposes, the order was amended and I put up a copy of the order in council as passed.
4. On the receipt however of your cypher telegram of the 28th February, and alao as the consul for Portugal had received a telegram from the governor of Macao, a copy of which I attach, and it appeared to me that probably the governor himself was conniving with the opium farmer in the illicit traffic of opium, another order in council was passed which forbids entirely the export of opium to Macao until further orders.
of this order in council is annexed. [2458 r-1]
A
copy
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