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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[September 6.]
SECTION 1.
[41074]
(No. 329.) Sir,
No. 1.
Mr. Alston to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 6.)
Peking, August 21, 1913. IN my despatch No. 308 I had the honour to forward a memorandum dated the 28th July in which I had replied to the Wai-chiao Pu that on receipt of consular reports from Foochow and Amoy I would again communicate with them on the subject of their request to have Fukien included in the list of provinces into which Indian opium should not be conveyed.
I have now the honour to enclose copies of the reports from His Majesty's consuls at Foochow and Amoy, together with copy of my memorandum to the Wai-chiao Pu stating that the reports did not bear out the contention that complete success had been attained as regards the prohibition of cultivation, and that it appeared also that native opium was being imported from other provinces.
I have accordingly declined to place Fukien on the prohibition list without further investigations on the lines of the joint inspections carried out in Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan this year.
I have, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
B. ALSTON.
253
Memorandum communicated to Wai-chiao Pu.
MR. ALSTON had the honour to receive a memorandum from the Wai-chino Pu on the 7th July requesting that Fukien might be placed on the list of provinces into which Indian opium should not be conveyed, and on the 28th July he replied that a fuller communication would be sent on receipt of consular reports from Foochow and Amoy,
These reports have now been received, and they do not bear out the contention that complete success had been attained as regards the prohibition of cultivation; and, moreover, it would appear that native opium is being imported from other provinces.
Mr. Alston is at a loss to understand the grounds for the statement quoted by the Wai-chiao Pu as having been made by the General Anti-Opium Association of Fukien to the effect that His Majesty's cousul at Amoy had recognised the fact that complete success had been attained in the prohibition of cultivation in the province, and had reported in that sense to the British Government. His Majesty's consul has made no such report, and, moreover, declares that he has expressed no opinion as to the success or failure of the measures taken for the suppression of opium in the province beyond referring in conversation with the local officials to the large area of land under poppy cultivation last season.
Mr. Alston regrets that he is unable to place Fukien on the prohibition list forthwith, but he is ready in accordance with article 4 of the Opium Agreement of 1911 to arrange for a joint inspection of the conditions of opium cultivation and importa- tion in that province next spring on the lines of the joint inspections carried out in Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan this year.
Peking, August 20, 1913.
(No. 20.) Sir,
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul Little to Mr. Alston.
Amoy, July 21, 1013.
IN reply to your despatch No. 6 of the 11th June, I have already transmitted to you from time to time all the information obtainable respecting the suppression of the
[1884 f-1]
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