3.
Companies the fullest protection we are prepared to
meet the Authorities as far as possible.
We may point out that experience of the activities of the Bureau in Shanghai go to prove
that it is composed of unruly elements who are,
apparently, a law unto themselves.
We should be the more inclined to consider
this proposal if, as is outlined, the understanding
that it would create no precedent for independent searches of British vessels by tax offices is accepted
6. We always do and have done what we can to eliminate the carriage of opium and other illegal
cargo and for many years we have deliberately re- frained from carrying arms, ammunition or Chinese troops and this, when such carriage was not only
legitimate but a profitable source of revenue, in
deference to the desire of our Authorities that
British Shipping should maintain the most correct and
neutral attitude possible in these troubled times.
7. We can but reiterate that we view the
searching problem sympathetically and are prepared to discuss this question with you in detail in order to
endeavour to arrive at a workable basis.
8. His Majesty's Consul-General at Chungking
in commenting on the smuggling of nearly one ton and a quarter of opium on board a certain British vessel
would seem to identify himself with the Chinese
attitude which ignores the major responsibility for ` prevention by the Chinese Authorities of manufacture:
incidents/