t
COFY.
No.576.
British Legation, Tehran,
December 8th, 1923.
517
My Lord,
I have the honour, with reference to my telegram No.402 of the 4th Instant to transmit to Your Lordship the accompanying copies of two memoranda which I handed privately to Dr. Millspaugh, and of the latter's reply, on the subject of the opium traffic in Persia.
Hy above-mentioned telegram will have acquainted you with the views held by Dr. Lill spuugh in regard to the effect and desirability of the proposed embargo on the shipment of opium from Persian ports in British bottoms, and the reasons on which that view is based will be more apparent to Your Lordship from a perusal of Dr. Millspaugh's memorandum. The third quarterly report mentioned therein was inclosed in my Despatch No.443 of October 4th 1923; the fourth report has not yet reached me in an English text, but I trust that copies will very shortly be available for transmission to you.
Both from the terms of his memorandum and from what Dr. 11lspaugh has said to me in conversation, it is clear that he is impressed with the seriousness of the opium question in Persia, but that in his opinion no drastic measures are possible without creating great economic disturbance and possible hardship to individuals, and that the evil must be dealt with
radually and eradicated by process of slow attrition, having regard especially to Persia's painful efforts to extricate herself from her prevalent economic and financial distress. Though there is doubtless mach more to be aid on the subject and 11 opinions may not gree with that of Dr. Killspaugh, his judgment is deserving of considerations in his present responsible position he hs fuller knowledge than anyone else of the elements from which it is derived. The Leakie of Nations is no doubt watching attentively the sters wich Persia takes to fulfil her obligations in this matter of grave International concern, and I presume
you/