[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[F 2403/17/10]
No. 1.
Foreign Office to India Office.
i
244
[December 2.]
SECTION 2.
Sir,
Foreign Office, December 2, 1920. I AM directed by Earl Curzon of Kedleston to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking,* forwarding copy of a letter from the Secretary of the International Anti-Opium Association, enclosing copies of correspondence with the India Office on the subject of opium.
2. Mr. Clive draws attention to the increase in exports from India to Hong Kong Section 4 (iii) during 1919, as shown in the India Office letter of the 20th April, 1920. of the memorandum ench sed in that letter states that the sales of opium are, so far as that is possible, made direct to the Governments of the consuming countries. From the statement of experts of opium from India to Hong Kong, appended to the memo- randum, it appears that an average annual quantity of some 550 chests is exported privately," in addition to the exports on Government account, and that not all of the "privately" exported opium is re-exported to Macao.
3. I am directed to invite the observations of the Secretary of State for India as to the reason for the increase in the exports of Indian opium to Hong Kong during the year 1919, and also as to the existence of the large number of cheats exported privately," in view of the statement of the India Office that the sales of opium are, so far as that is possible, made direct to the Governments of the consuming countries.
4. I am to enclose also copy of a letter which has been addressed to the Colonial Office in regard to this subject.†
I am, &c.
VICTOR WELLESLEY.
[5201 6-2]
·
(October 14], Section 2.
+ [December 2], Section 1