आहिम
81
used, as in the past, for smuggling into China and elsewhere under the guise of bona fide shipments abroad. The question of supplying Timor with opium is one which, co far as is known, has never yet been raised; nor has this de ̧artment any infomation with regard to the legitimate requirements of that colony. If, however, the Fortuguese press this point the question of negotiating a ceparate agreement night he con- sidered for the supply of opium to the Timor Colonial Government,
G. The Portuguese refuse to accept the proposal that all opium imported into Macao should be transhipped at Hongkong. This suggestion was apparently first made by Sir R.E. Stubbs "pending the completion of the agreement for direct purchase", in his despatch to the Colonial Office of the 29th Marc., 1921. If the Portuguese Goverment are ready to take all their supplies of opium from India, the proposal would acem superfluous and might well be dropped.
7. The Portuguese Goverment note that it will be
necessary that Macao's imports from India will have to be covered by certificates of the Kacao Government that they are required for legitimate purposes.
8. The Secretary of State therefore would suggest that provided the Portuguese Government declare their readiness to take all their supplies of opium from India, His Majesty's Goverment should accept the Portuguese counter-proposals with regard to the amount of opium to be allowed for consumption
in Kacao (though some effort might be made to reduce the initial figure), and with regard to transhipment at Hongkong,
No/