21/22.
520
By an Agreement dated June 14, 1913, con eluded
between Great Britain and Portugal, the opium farmer
of Macao may import not more than 260 chests of opium
■ year for local consumption (Article 2) and 240
chests per annum for re-export to countries permitt-
The allowance for re-export ing import (Article 4).
may be further increased "provided that proof is given that the said imports are destined to meet the re- quirements of lawful trade" (Article 5).
According to reports compiled by the Chinese Karitime Customs based on detected cases of fraud and smuggling much of the quantity re-exported from Macro was clandestinely carried to the mainland of
China.
This illicit trade in Indian opium via Maono tends to encourage the revival of opium smoking in the regions of China adjacent to Masao and to pre- Judice the work of opium suppression in the Republic. Last December this Legation understood after en- quiring at the Foreign office that at the beginning of 1920 the British Government had approached the Fortuguese Goverment with a view to substitute for the aforeneid treaty of 1913 a system now in forge with certain other Governments whereby the export of Indian opium would take place by direct sale to the Government of the im- porting ocun try ; but that the negotiations would take some time in order to allor consulta ti on between the
and that in Fortugueso and the lacno Governments ; addition the question of reducing the annual allowances permitted to the Lacao opiwn farmer had also been dis-
·
sussed.
The/