1
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[711]
(No. 6.) Sir,
No. 1.
[January 6.]
SECTION 1.
Consul Carlisle to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 6, 1913.)
Saigon, December 10, 1912. WITH reference to my previous despatches this year on the subject of the purchase of Yunnan opium for French Indo-China, I have the honour to inform you that the budget of Indo-China for 1913 provides for a sale of 60,182 kilos. (132,641 lbs. average) of prepared opium, of which 46,000 kilos. (101,384 lbs. average) are to be of Benares and 14,182 kilos. (31,257 lbs. average) of Yunnan opium. The average price at which the Benares drug is sold being 140 dollars the kilog, and the innan opium 110 dollars, the total receipts are estimated at 8,000,000 dollars, say about 831,000% at the present rate of exchange.
The sales of prepared opium to smokers amounted in 1908 and 1909 to about 107,000 kilos. annually. In 1910 they fell to 75,000, and in 1911 to 60,880 (of which 46,645 were from Benares and 14,235 from Yunnan). This large decrease in consumption was due to an increase of the sale price since 1908 by about 57 per cent. The budget provision for 1912 was for the sale of 55,000 kilos., but I understand that this amount has been exceeded, and as it appears, therefore, that the fall in the consumption has been arrested, the provision for 1913 is again calculated at over 60,000 kilos., as stated above.
I have, &c.
T. FI CARLISLE,
[2766-1]
883
07.
2.
21400
2140
20:400
12
2824.800
123