[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[54157]
No. 1.
[December 19.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.—(Received December 19.)
India Office, December 18, 1912.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, for the consideration of Sir Edward Grey, a copy of a telegram received from the Government of India on the 16th December, in which they point out the extreme necessity, in the interests of Indian merchants and of the Indian revenues, as well as those of the native states in Malwa, of inducing China to observe the opium agreement of 1911.
The Marquess of Crewe concurs in the view expressed by the Government of India as to the gravity of the situation from these various aspects, and would urge that further strong pressure should be brought to bear on the Government of China.
I have, &c.
T. W. HOLDERNESS.
Enclosure in No. 1.
r
99
Government of India to the Marquess of Crewe.
(Telegraphic.) P.
December 16, 1912. BRITISH Minister at Peking has repeated to us his telegram to Foreign Office, dated the 13th December, No. 257, in which complete cessation of trade in Indian opium at Shanghai is reported. Our letter to you of the 6th December expresses our views as to the seriousness of the position. Our worst fears are confirmed by the telegram from Jordan. In the interests of native States in Malwa; of Indian merchants, and of taxpayers, we beg to urge how extremely necessary it is that China should be induced to observe the opium agreement of May 1911.
(Repeated to Peking.)
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