الا انه ام
2
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Memorandum communicated to Wai-chiao Pu by Sir J. Jordan.
SIR JOHN JORDAN has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the memo- randum from the Wai-chiao Pu, dated the 26th instant, requesting him to include Chekiang in the list of provinces into which the import of Indian opium is forbidden.
The Wai-chiao Pu are no doubt well aware that Sir John Jordan has ever been ready to make the necessary investigations in all cases of provinces which it might be desired to place on the prohibition list.
The poppy season in Chekiang is now over, and it is too late to attempt any investigations. It is unfortunate that Chekiang did not make its application earlier, if it wished to be placed on the prohibition list this year.
The evidence in the possession of Sir John Jordan would not justify him in acceding to the request put forward by the Wai-chiao Pu until he has made fuller and more detailed enquiries.
His Majesty's consuls at Hangchow and Ningpo are being called upon to submit reports in this connection, and on their receipt His Majesty's Legation will again communicate with the Wai-chiao Pu on the subject.
Sir,
Peking, May 29, 1913.
No. 2.
Mr. Alston to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received June 26.)
Peking, June 11, 1913. I HAVE the honour to enclose copies of correspondence with the Wai-chiac Pu relative to the prohibition of the import of Indian opium into the province of Fukien under article 3 of the Opium Agreement of 1911.
The memorandum of the Wai-chiao Pu has been the first intimation of their desire to have Fukien placed on the prohibition list. A very large amount of poppy has undoubtedly been grown in the southern districts, and, although trustworthy information has indicated that the bulk of this has been destroyed, still it would appear that an appreciable quantity has been harvested.
The poppy is in flower at the end of February, and it would not have been possible at this late date to have tested the assertions of the Fukien Tutu,
I have informed the Wai-chiao Pu that I am not prepared to place Fukien on the prohibition list until I have made fuller and more detailed enquiries, and that I will communicate further with them on receipt of reports from His Majesty's consuls at Amoy and Foochow, to whom instructions on the subject are being sent.
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poppy. On the 26th April another telegram reached the Wai-chiao Pu to the effect that the Szuming district was clear. received, stating that Hui-an and Chin-chiang had also successfully reported them- On the 3rd May a further telegram was selves clear. On the 6th May another telegram was received, saying that Nan-an was clear of the poppy, and that the work of clearing the whole of that part of the country was complete. On the 1st June a further telegram was received, stating that the intendant of the southern circuit had telegraphed that all poppy in the Ch'uan-chou district had been cut down either in his presence or in that of others acting under his strict orders, and that the whole country under his jurisdiction had been reported clear. The Tutu also received a telegrami from the intendant of the western circuit, that he had sent out troops of soldiers to root up the poppy crop throughout Changchou, that these men had all successfully returned to the capital city of the intendancy, and that the whole of his territory was clear. The Tutu reported to the Wai-chiao Pu, with reference to the Min-chou, Ch'ang-le, Lien- chiang, Min-ching, Ku-tien, Fu-an, Fu-ting and Hsia-p'u districts of the eastern circuit, and the Shah Hsien, Shao-wu, Chien-ning and Nan-ping districts of the northern circuit, that, although occasional illicit cultivation had taken place, the magistrates of the above districts had in every case sent in a report and the crop had been completely rooted up. The Tutu finally declared that the whole province had, in fact, been cleared of poppy.
The Wai-chiao Pu have the honour to cbserve that the province of Fukien led the way in opium suppression some years ago, and in doing so was earlier than any other province. During 1911 opium was already prohibited and the province completely cleared. Missionaries of various nationalities gave their assistance in investigating, and signed a statement recognising these facts. In the sixth moon of that year a proclamation was issued by the customs forbidding the import of opium from neigh- bouring provinces. The authorities were on the point of broaching negotiations for the prohibition of import of the Indian drug, when the revolution broke out, and there was no time to look into the matter. again in the southern prefectures, but the poppy there has now been ploughed up A result was that illicit cultivation began without exception and the whole province is now clear. Therefore, article 3 of the Opium Agreement of 1911 and the precedent of Chihli and other provinces should be acted upon, and the import of Indian opium should be stopped. The Wai-chiao Pu have the honour to request His Majesty's Minister to take note of the above and to consent to place Fukien on the list of provinces into which import of Indian opium is forbidden pending the revision of the Opium Agreement. The Wai-chiao Pu trusts to receive a reply from His Majesty's Minister.
(Seal of the Wai-chiao Pu.)
Enclosure 1 in No. 2.
I have, &c.
B. ALSTON.
Memorandum communicated to Sir J. Jordan by Wai-chiao Pu, June 6, 1913,
(Translation.)
OWING to disorders stirred up by local rebels the important policy of opium suppression in Fukien met with great difficulties. During January of the present year the Wai-chiao Pu telegraphed to the Fukien Tutu instructing him to give speedy orders for the discovery and suppression of the poppy. The Tutu gave orders to his subordinates, who, with the aid of the military, destroyed the rebels and rooted up the crop. No efforts were spared, and during the last few months progress has been resolutely made, the sacrifice of lives and property being no obstacle. Thus the sincerity of the intentions (of the provincial authorities) in opium suppression is known to all, whether Chinese or foreigners,
On the 31st March the Wai-chiao Pu received a telegram from the Tutu and chief civil administrator of Fukien to the effect that P'u-tien and Hsien-yu districts, also the Han-chiang and Mei-chou country, had been completely cleared of the
Enclosure 2 in No. 2.
Memorandum communicated to Wai-chiao Pu by Mr. Alston.
HIS Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the memorandum from the Wai-chiao Pu, dated the 6th June, asking for the inclusion of Fukien among the provinces into which the import of Indian opium is forbidden, The Wai-chiao Pu are no doubt well aware that His Majesty's Legation has ever been ready to make the necessary investigations in all cases of provinces which it might be desired to place on the prohibition list.
The
poppy season in Fukien is now over, and it is too late to attempt any investigations. It is unfortunate that Fukien did not make its application earlier if it wished to be placed on the prohibition list this year
The evidence in the possession of Mr. Alston would not justify him in acceding
to the request put forward by the Wai-chiao Pu until he has made fuller and more detailed enquiries.
His Majesty's consuls at Amoy and Focchow are being called upon to submit reports in this connection, and on their receipt Mr. Alston will again communicate with the Wai-chiao Pu on the subject.
Peking, June 10, 1913.
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