59
which a break down of the efforts of the
Macao Government to establish an
efficient control of opium there, would
have on the smuggling of opium into
Hong Kong. Whatever happens in Macao,
Hong Kong will continue to be flooded
with Chinese opium.
On the other hand the possibility
of a financial and administrative
collapse of the Macao Government is a more
serious matter. This is mainly a matter
C
for the Foreign Office, who may possibly
be in a position to say whether the
Portuguese Government is likely (or to
what extent it may be able) to step in
and save the situation. But the
possibility of a collapse in Macao is
obviously of great importance to our
neighbouring Colony, particularly in view
of the chaos in South China.
For this reason, if there were any
prospect