42/
5/42/
1/42/
1/42/
298
Suddenly on January 9th,
India Office and Colonial office.
1913, the Fortuguese Minister in London stated that Senhor
Eusebio da Fonseca, Director General of Finance of the
Portuguese Colonies, who was then in this Country, had been
empowered to treat with His Majesty'a Government on the Magao
opium question. Arrangements were at once made by the
Foreign Office to arrange a series of Conferences, to be at-
tended by M. de Fonseca, and representatives of the Foreign
Office (Mr. B. Alston), India Office, Colonial Office, and
the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong. The first meeting took
place at the Foreign Office on January 13, 1913.
-
4. During the period January March, meetings continued to
be held at the Foreign Office; the conclusions arrived were
finally embodied in the form of a memorandum, which was signed
by Mr. Alston and li. da Fonseca on April 17, 1915, after appro-
val by the Seoretary of State. After signature the "conclu-
sions" were submitted to the Fortuguese Government, who signi-
fied their approval, but suggested that the "conclusions" should be transformed into a regular agreement between the
two countries. This suggestion was agreed to by Sir E. Grey,
with the concurrence of the Indie office and Colonial Office. A draft Agreement, drawn up at the Foreign Office, was gubmit- ted, after approval by the Colonial Office and India Offloe, to the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires on May 21 for acceptance. M. de Tovar was desirous of substituting a term of five instead of ten years for the duration of the Agreement, but His Majesty's Government were unable to sogēpt the amendment, although prepared to extend the period of notios from six to twelve months. The Agreement in its final form was signed
1913. by Sir E. Grey and M. de Tovar on June 14,
FOREIGN OFFICE,
February 7, 1921.
(54)
Edward iaries.
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