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and that would entail further sacrifices which the Government of India could not be expected to undertake.
In China one lives under the constant apprehension that some day the Chinese fanatics will make a holocaust of Indian opium to attract the attention of the so-called civilised world.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[August 7.]
SECTION 2.
Yours sincerely,
J. N. JORDAN.
[37142]
P.S.-I have written in haste to catch to-night's mail.
J. N. J.
ང་
241
No. 1.
Memorandum of Proceedings of an Opium Deputation received in the Foreign Office on Thursday, August 7, 1913, by the Marquess of Crewe and Sir Edward Grey.
MR. THEODORE TAYLOR said that the deputation was really two or three deputations rolled into one. The deputation would have come earlier liad Sir E. Grey been less busy, and it would have been larger had not Parliament been sitting at the time it was received. All the members were at one in wishing the opium trade with China to be ended. They recognised that the present British Government were the first who had taken steps to end the trade, and they thanked Lord Morley and Sir E. Grey. The great obstacle at present was the accumulation of stocks of opium in Shanghai. It was calculated that, at the present rate of consumption, at least two years would be required to consume these stocks. China really wished to be released from having to take these stocks, but she was afraid of us-not that we might make war upon her, but of the other pressure that we could bring to bear, as in financial
matters.
Professor Caldecott, chairman of the Church of England Anti-Opium Society, said that the Church of England had at first been slow to move on the subject, but was now convinced that the opium trade with China should be ended as soon as possible. The accumulated stocks were the great obstacle now. The strongest argument against the continuance of the trade was that the Chinese themselves said that the trade was an obstruction to them. He gave reasons for which we could not send General Chang back to China with a negative answer. It was not for the deputation to suggest what should be done with the accumulated stocks, but what they did wish to press was that the stocks should not be sent into China.
Mr. Alexander, honorary secretary of the Society for the Suppression of the Opium Trade, said that he came principally as a representative of the Society of Friends, which had been amongst the first in this country to call attention to the evils of the trade. Chinese reformers felt that they were hampered, even by our present agreement with China, and the Society of Friends asked strongly that the trade should be ended as s..on as possible.
The Rev. F. B. Meyer said that there were some missionaries present who could speak with greater effect than he, but he wished to call attention to the irrationality of forcing opium upon China while insisting that China should suppress the growth of opium. As a point of view of his own, he wished to mention the fine position won for the United States by the action of their Government in regard to the Boxer indemnity; he thought that we might take similar action.
The Rev. S. Muir, of the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland, said that he was the only representative from Scotland, as others were prevented from coming by the holiday season. The Presbyterian churches were unanimously in favour of the early honourable to Britain and non-injurious to suppression of the opium trade by means China." The deputation did not themselves suggest the methods by which this might be done, but they hoped that methods would be found.
Mr. Grant, representing the Society of Friends in the south of Ireland, said, in a very few words, that it was hoped that the British Government would do what was right.
Lord Crewe said that he had been asked by Sir E. Grey to say some words first, though in some respects the matter was more one for the Foreign Office than for the India Office. The gathering was a remarkable one, and its representations would receive the closest possible attention. He was grateful for the appreciation that had been expressed as to the efforts of the British Government.
In speaking of so vast a country as China it was necessary to be cautious. Mr. Taylor had spoken cautiously when he said that it was the best elements in China who desired the end of the opium trade. Chinese opinion and practice were not unanimous in the matter. While we had to encourage the best elements, we had to recognise that the consumers were not all of the same mind.
[1836 g-2]
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