[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.j
2
addressed by the Ministry of the Interior to this Ministry, which is now under consideration. The said note reade as follows:-
"The Superior Board of Health, in a note, No. 4432, dated the 19th November last, reports to the Ministry as follows: In the session held by this Board on the 16th instant, the following decision was approved: The Commission of Retail Chemists have studied the product generally used by the Chinese colony for smoking purposes, and known as 'opium for smoking; this is one of the official preparations of this drug, but causing in those who make use of it all the disastrous effects indicated by hygienic authorities as resulting from the vicious habit of opium smoking; it is consequently noxious to health, and as article 230 of the Sanitary Code, taken in connection with article 50 of the same code, should be applied to preparations of this class, the commission beg the Board to approve the following proposals :-
"1. That opium for smoking, and preparations of this drug for smoking purposes, are products included in article 230 of the Sanitary Code.
2. In consequence of the preceding declaration, request the Ministry of the Interior to obtain from the Ministry of Finance, on the strength of article 50 of the Sanitary Code, and on account of the preparations in question being included under 230 of the same code, the prohibition of the importation into the country through the customs of opium or preparations of opium for smoking purposes, permitting solely the entry of opium and its derivatives for medicinal purposes under the conditions indicated for these products by the regulations for the sale of medicines.""
I have, &c.
Mexico, January, 13, 1913.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
G. TRUJILLO.
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[5655]
C.O.
201
4933
[February 6]
REC?
SECTION 1.
REG 11 FEB 13.
No. 1.
Mr. Stronge to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received February 6.)
(No. 17.) Šir,
Mexico, January 22, 1913. WITH reference to my telegram No. 2 of the 14th instant, on the subject of the opium requirements of this Republic, I have the honour to report that it appears impossible to obtain a categorical reply from the Mexican Government on this question, although I have repeatedly applied for one, explaining with the utmost precision the desires and aims of His Majesty's Government in making the request.
I beg to enclose herewith translation of a note from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, dated the 13th instant, giving the quantities imported during the six years from 1906-7 to 1911-12 inclusive, and the value of the same as shown on the consular invoices.
The note also contains a communication from the Superior Board of Health, enclosing a report from the Commission of Retail Chemists suggesting that the importation of opium for smoking purposes should be prohibited, which suggestion is stated to be under the consideration of the Ministry of Finance.
I have just received a further note from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, dated the 20th instant, which states that the legal or legitimate consumption of opium in the country may be estimated to amount approximately to 6,180 kilog. per annum.
I have to-day telegraphed to you this information as being the only reply which the Mexican Government appear able to make respecting the annual requirements of the country with regard to this drug.
I have, &c.
FRANCIS STRONGE.
M. le Ministre,
Mexican Government to Mr. Stronge.
Mexico, January 20, 1913. WITH reference to the correspondence exchanged between this Ministry and His Majesty's Legation, relative to the legal consumption of opium in the Republic of Mexico, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the said consumption may be approximately estimated to amount to 6,180 kilog. per annum.
I have, &c.
JULIO GARCIA.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Mexican Department of Finance to the Mexican Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, Mexico,
I HAVE the honour to reply to your notes, Nos. 3549 and 3551, dated the 12th November last, from the Chancery Department, in which you transcribe the notes, Nos. 198 and 202, from His Britannic Majesty's Minister concerning the export of opium from Macao and Hong Kong respectively to Mexico, and to inform you that, with regard to the date relative to importation, it should be observed that section 135 of the customs tariff includes opium and its extracts, without making any distinction between them, probably on account of the difficulty of distinguishing the medicinal extract from opium prepared for smoking, unless a regular technical study were made for the classification. Thus, then, the quantities imported have been as follows:-
1906-7
1907-8
1908-9
1909-10
1910-11
1911-12
Year.
Weight.
Value.
kilog.
doll.
6,055
97,804
5,165
98,841
4,869
83,098
9,236
300,504
12,894
535,748
9,269
383,522
It should be observed that the values given are those obtained from the consular invoices drawn up by the shippers. On this subject I think it desirable to inform the Ministry under your charge concerning a note dated the 11th of December last,
[2806 ƒ--1]
1