[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[January 13.]
SECTION 2.
[1748]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 13, 1913.)
(No. 514.) Sir,
Peking, December 30, 1912. I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith translation of the note referred to in my telegram No. 266 of the 22nd instant, in which the Chinese Government request me to consent to allow the provinces of Chihli, Shantung, Kwangsi, Hunan, and Anhui to prohibit the import of Indian opium.
It was shown in my despatch No. 506 of the 23rd instant, sunimarising the evidence in my possession in regard to the production of opium in China, that the actual conditions in those provinces are not clearly ascertained; and in my telegram above referred to I submitted for your approval the suggestion that I should reply to the effect that we are anxious to hold an investigation into the conditions at the earliest possible moment, but that the provincial authorities, on their part, must be made to respect the other provisions of the agreement of 1911.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Wai-chiao Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
(Translation.) Sir,
Peking, December 19, 1912. IT is laid down in article 3 of last year's supplementary Opium Agreement between China and Great Britain that "Indian opium shall not be conveyed into any province in China which can establish by clear evidence that it has effectively suppressed the cultivation and import of native opium." The genuine completeness of the suppres sion of cultivation of the native drug in, and the prohibition of the import of the native drug from other provinces into, the provinces of Fengtien, Kirin, Hei-lung-chiang, Szechuan, and Shansi has already resulted in the negotiation of an arrangement between the former Wai-wu Pu and your Excellency for making a commencement of the prohibition of import.
During the 8th month of last year the Viceroy of Chihli reported that in 1909 he had sent officials on tours of inspection throughout the whole of Chihli, and these found that for a long time there had been no land under opium cultivation. In 1910 he had submitted a memorial dealing with comprehensive measures for effecting the prohibition of the import of the native drug from the neighbouring provinces. Conditions were practically identical with those in Fengtien, Kirin, and Szechuan, and he asked that a further request be formulated for the inclusion of Chibli also, in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
Later on a communication was received from the Shantung tutu, who stated that opium cultivation had been entirely suppressed throughout the province of Shantung by 1910, and that the officials sent to make secret enquiries in 1911 found an entire absence of illicit planting; while notice had been given to the Chefoo and Tsingtao Customs, and identic instructions issued to the magistrates of all departments and districts, to prohibit the entry of opium from outside. He therefore requested that action be taken in accordance with the agreement.
From Kuangsi, again, comes a telegram from the tutu, who states that opium suppression was completely enforced by January 1912, while he had telegraphed to the neighbouring provinces, Yunnan and Kueichow, to prohibit export into his territory and received their replies. He trusts, therefore, that the British Minister at Peking may be induced to consent to the prohibition of the import of Indian opium into Kuangsi.
Again, from the Hunan tutu came a despatch reporting that the local officials had received instructions to compel the rooting up of the poppy wherever it was grown in
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