355
FOREIGN OFFICE. B.V. 1.
/350/10.
i 10603
February Bird, 1921.
:
"E 4 MAK 211
With reference to the letter from this office of August 27th, 1920 (P 1640/17/10), I am directed by Barl Curson of Kedleston to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch, with enclosures, from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, commenting on the extremely unsatis- factory attitude of the Chinese authorities towards the question of opium cultivation in China.
8. In view of the olose association of Sir John Jordan, lately His Majesty's Minister at Paking, with the British polley of opium suppression in China ever since its initiation, Mr. Clive's despatch has been shown to him, and I am to enclose herewith a copy of his Minute thereon. Sir John Jordan is convinsed that publie opinion in China is sufficiently strongly opposed to the abuse of opium to prevail ultimately over the recrudescence of cultivation which has been brought about by the existing chaotic state of the country, and he deprecates strongly any action en the part of His Majesty's Government in the nature of countenansing re-legalisation of the opium traffic in China He considers that a more efficacious remedy for the present state of affairs is to give full publicity to the frets, and be expresses the hope that steps will be taken to thaya and at the forthcoming Weeting of the Council of the Leagu
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ry of State,
5. With/