Copy.
No.82
Copies to India, Tokyo and Hongkong.
(62489).
25264
RESP
BRET126 LBRALSON,
PEKING,
March 4th, 1919.
313
My Lord,
With reference to my despatch No.74 of the 22nd
ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of
a Presidential Kandate forbidding the illicit traffic in
morphia and similar narcotice. Beyond exhortation to
the officials and people this Mandate does not go very
far towards the suppression of the evil. A strong movement
is however on foot to secure legislation which will
effectively control the whole internal trade in druge, but
until the scheme has assumed definite shape it would be
premature to discuss it further.
I have recently received from His Majesty's
Consul at Foochow information which supplements that
forwarded to you in my despatch No.65 of February 14th. Mr.
Wilkinson reports that the opium sugled into Foocnow from
Formosa is all, or almost all, Formosan Government opium. Though
nominally the drug is only supplied by the Formosan
Goverment to a comparatively small number of old smokers
who are specially licensed to purchase specific quantities
for their own consumption, the Government sales are far in
excess of the requirements of the smokers licensed, and the
surplus is ugled into China.
The use of morphine, the local supply of which
al 80/
The Right Honourable,
Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., G.C.5.1
etc..
etc.,
etc.. FOREIGN OFFICE.