31
and Co., of Victoria Street, have approached the Siamese
Legation in London with certain proposals. The firm appear
to be vouched for by the Home Office, If the results of the
enquiries which I am making about them are satisfactory, and
if suitable terms can be negotiated with them, this may prove
to be the solution for which we have been looking.
I have written at some length because it is desirable that you should know Siam's difficulties, du
to causes beyond her own control. A sympathetic attitude
on the part of any British representatives who deal with
opium matters at Geneva would of course be helpful.
There
is another point. I have been forced to the conclusion
that any further step forward in Siam in the direction of
opiwn suppression, as well as any success in dealing with
smuggling, will necessitate some reduction in the retail
price of licit opium. The present price puts an enormous premium on smuggling and is answerable for certain other
evils, such as the prevalence of the "dross" habit.
This
at present is only the personal opinion of Stevens and
myself. It would be useless to press it upon the Government until we can be assured of our supply. It is likely, moreover, that the Government might fear that such a measure would be regarded at Geneva as retrograde. I have been
told that the authorities in the Dutch East Indies have
come to the same conclusion, though I do not know whether they have actually made any reduction. I know that at Singapore some time ago a similar proposal received some consideration; I am not sure with what result; perhaps they
felt