[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[August 1.]
SECTION 1.
)
[35222]
No. 1.
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received August 1.}
Downing Street, July 31, 1914.
Sir,
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, with reference to letter from the Colonial Office of the 15th June, copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the Government opium monopoly in Kwong-chau-wan.
I
am, &c.
JOHN ANDERSON.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. May to Mr. Harcourt,
(Confidential.) Sir,
Hong Kong, June 23, 1914. IN continuation of my confidential despatch of the 12th May, I have the honour to inform you that the Kwong-chau-wan Government opium monopoly is reported to have held another auction sale of raw opium on the 16th June, and to have sold 130 chests at 5,250 dollars per chest. Only license holders of two years' standing were, I under- stand, allowed to purchase.
2. As I explained in the despatch under reference, this large quantity of opium is likely to find its way into China eventually. The regulations do not permit any raw opium to be prepared in Kwong-chan-wan, and the local monopoly procures the whole of its supplies of prepared opium from the Government monopoly at Haiphong, in Indo-China.
I have, &c.
[2231 a-1]
F. H. MAY,
220