[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
2 AUG 12
[July 22.]
SECTION 1.
[30944]
(No. 287.)
Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--Received July 22.)
Peking, July 6, 1912. WITH reference to my despatch No. 275 of the 29th ultimo regarding the detention of several chests of "touch" opium by the Shanghai Customs, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a translation of a memorandum from the Wai- chiao Pu, dated the 4th instant, stating that, as the amount of the drug is but small, and the Government of India. propose to take measures against further export, the Wai-chiao Pu are enabled to concede the release of the consignments, and have approached the Revenue Council to notify the Inspector-General to instruct the Shanghai Customs in this sense.
At the same time, the Wai-chiao Fu request to be informed when the Government of India have decided on a scheme for the prohibition of the export of "touch" opium.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum communicated by Wai-chiao Pu to Sir J. Jordan, July 4, 1912.
(Translation.)
THE Wai-chiao Pu have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the memorandum of the 28th June, 1912, from His Majesty's Minister, on the subject of the export from India to China of certificated prepared opium.
The memorandum reports the receipt of a reply from the Government of India to the effect that this "touch" opium is not specially prepared, but consists of remnants in the ordinary course of buying and selling, and that they are considering the possibility of disposing of these remnants otherwise than by export. In view of the above explanation, His Majesty's Minister requests that the necessary instructions be issued for the release of the "touch" opium detained by the Shanghai Customs.
Seeing that the amount of this prepared opium imported is but small, while the Government of India propose to take measures against further export, the Wai-chiao Pu are thus enabled to concede, by way of compromise, the release of the consignments detained by the Shanghai Customs, and they have approached the Revenue Council with a request to notify the Inspector-General to instruct the Shanghai Customs in this
sense.
They request His Majesty's Minister to inform them when the Government of India have decided on a scheme for the prohibition of the export of “touch” opium,
YEN HUI-CHING.
[2549 y---1]