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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
REST
REC 31 MAY 19
OPIUM.
NFIDENTIAL.
380]
183.)
raphic.)
L
No. 1.
Earl Curzon to Sir J. Jordan.
343
[April 5.1
SECTION 1.
Foreign Office, April 5, 1919.
YOUR telegram No. 32 of 16th January. After consultation with the Indian Government, His Majesty's Government have led that the suggestion for an interchange of notes formally declaring the agree- of 1911 terminated should be dropped. Indian Government do not agree that ment can be regarded as terminated so long as cultivation of opium in China ues, and it would therefore be a mistake to place on record a declaration of htful significance which might subsequently be interpreted as releasing China from
bligations under the agreement.
In view of statement in second paragraph of your telegram, you should, while g nothing about interchange of notes, make a strong protest on behalf of His sty's Government against the recrudescence of opium cultivation in various uces reported in your despatches as constituting à grave breach of the 1911 ment. You should at the same time convey to the Chinese Government a ble expression of our grateful recognition of the great sacrifice they have made e altar of country and humanity in burning the stocks of opium, as reported in despatch No. 45 of 29th January, and express the hope that they will show equal y and self-sacrifice in finally eradicating the cultivation of the poppy at home. Indian Government maintain that there is no foundation for rumour that Japan hases opium sold in Calcutta for medical use only, as Indian Government have ally reduced sales of all the provision opium below the legitimate requirements of
fir non-China customers. They admit that opium is being smuggled from the Shan into Yunnan, but they are now considering the possibility of taking steps to rod cultivation in those parts which were postponed during the war for fear of the disturbances which they will probably give rise to. They state that according to ular reports Yunnan provincial authorities encourage traffic in opium from Shan tes and obtain considerable revenue from it.
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