■ 1011/10/10.
2
In general, it may be said that the Department's policy is not to allow any consignments of opium, opium alkaloids or cocaine to be exported from the United Kingdom until the Department is in possession of evidence that the consignment is required in the country of destination for medical or scientific purposes only. This policy is, however, only strictly applied in cases in which abnormal shipments rather tend to show that illicit trade is taking place, as, in the interests of British trade, it is considered desirable that no extensive restrictive measures over cocaine, opium and morphia exports should be brought into force by this country until other Contracting Powers under the Opium Convention take similar steps.
A return recently compiled by this Department for the information of the India Office and the Home Office showing the quantities of morphia licensed by this Department during the years 1915-19 for export to Japan, China, United States of America and Canada is given below. The British restrictions on the export of morphia to Japan were imposed in October 1917, and the return shows very clearly how from that date British exports of morphia to Japan fell off, whilst at the same time exports of morphia to the United States of America gradually increased.
Year.
Japan.
MORPHIA.
B17.
PORTION OFFICE 435
6.7.1.
March 23rd 1921.
I am directed by Karl Curzon of Kedleston
to speloan, herewith, copy of an article from the
*Japan Weekly Chronicle" of January 27th, 1981, entitled
"Morphia and Humbug", to which Hâs Lordship'■
attention has been drawn.
Chinu.
United States of America
Canada.
2.
Uz.
Oz.
Üz.
Üz.
1915
$95,880
H
524
1916
880,929
2.208
2,210 21,165
1917
549,734
624
29,712
15,487
1918
36,480
49
57,904
22,462
1919 to August 31
5,026
1,276
158,416
11,589
While this strongly-worded article is, in the
main, an indictment of Japan as the channel for the
introduction into China of morphia, cocaine and heroin
in quantities greatly in excess of possible legi táms to
requirements for bond fide medicinal purposes,
allegations are also made that Great Britain and America
continue to share the profit derived from this sefarious
traffic.
The latest official figures, in the passession
of this office, of the quantities of morphis exparted
from this country are those given in the Vemorandum
enclosed in the Board of Trade letter of October 6th
1919. These shoved very clearly the marked falling
eff in the exports to Japan as the result of the
restrictions imposed in October, 1917; though that
decrease was set off to a certain extent by a
simultaneous increase in the exparte to the United
le Becretary
to the Board of Trade,
States