CO129-337 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1906 — Page 372

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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[18865]

No. 1.

20766

[May

9 JUN 06

SECTION 1.

366

Question asked in the House of Commons, May 30th, 1906.

Mr. Arthur Dewar,-To ask the Secretary for Foreign Affairs: (1) whether in the event of the Chinese Government terminating the Convention of Chefoo, the Treaty of Tien-tsin would then revive; (2) whether under the Treaty of Tien-tsin China is compelled to accept as much opium as India desires to send, subject to an import duty of 30 taels per picul; (3) whether he is aware that the opium habit is widely prevalent in China, and seriously demoralises the Chinese people physically and morally; (4) and whether he will intimate to the Chinese Government that they are now free to regulate the opium traffic, or to exclude opium from Chinese territory by high tariff or otherwise as to them shall seem right, and that irrespective of any existing Convention or Treaty.

Answer.

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. It is legal to import opium at the Treaty ports under Rule 5 of the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin subject to a duty of 30 taels per picul.

The third and fourth questions raise large questions of opinion and controversy, which cannot be satisfactorily dealt with in the limits of a departmental answer, and which I would ask my honourable friend to defer till they can be dealt with on behalf of the Government in debate.

[1981 gg-1]

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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government CHINA TRADE. CONFIDENTIAL. [18865] No. 1. 20766 [May 9 JUN 06 SECTION 1. 366 Question asked in the House of Commons, May 30th, 1906. Mr. Arthur Dewar,-To ask the Secretary for Foreign Affairs: (1) whether in the event of the Chinese Government terminating the Convention of Chefoo, the Treaty of Tien-tsin would then revive; (2) whether under the Treaty of Tien-tsin China is compelled to accept as much opium as India desires to send, subject to an import duty of 30 taels per picul; (3) whether he is aware that the opium habit is widely prevalent in China, and seriously demoralises the Chinese people physically and morally; (4) and whether he will intimate to the Chinese Government that they are now free to regulate the opium traffic, or to exclude opium from Chinese territory by high tariff or otherwise as to them shall seem right, and that irrespective of any existing Convention or Treaty. Answer. The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. It is legal to import opium at the Treaty ports under Rule 5 of the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin subject to a duty of 30 taels per picul. The third and fourth questions raise large questions of opinion and controversy, which cannot be satisfactorily dealt with in the limits of a departmental answer, and which I would ask my honourable friend to defer till they can be dealt with on behalf of the Government in debate. [1981 gg-1]
Baseline (Original)
This Document is the Property of His Bringen CHINA TRADE. CONFIDENTIAL. [18865] No. 1. 20766 [May 9 JUN 06 SECTION 1. 366 Question asked in the House of Commons, May 30th, 1906. Mr. Arthur Dewar,-To ask the Secretary for Foreign Affairs: (1) whether in the event of the Chinese Government terminating the Convention of Chefoo, the Treaty of Tien-tsin would then revive; (2) whether under the Treaty of Tien-tsin China is compelled to accept as much opium as India desires to send, subject to an import duty of 30 taels per picul; (3) whether he is aware that the opium habit is widely prevalent in China, and seriously demoralises the Chinese people physically and morally; (4) and whether he will intimate to the Chinese Government that they are now free to regulate the opium traffic, or to exclude opium from Chinese territory by high tariff or otherwise as to them shall seem right, and that irrespective of any existing Convention or Treaty. Answer. The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. It is legal to import opium at the Treaty ports under Rule 5 of the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin subject to a duty of 30 taels per picul. The third and fourth questions raise large questions of opinion and controversy, which cannot be satisfactorily dealt with in the limits of a departmental answer, and which I would ask my honourable friend to defer till they can be dealt with on behalf of the Government in debate. [1981 gg-1]
2026-06-02 13:57:07 · Baseline
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This Document is the Property of His Bringen

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[18865]

No. 1.

20766

[May

9 JUN 06

SECTION 1.

366

Question asked in the House of Commons, May 30th, 1906.

Mr. Arthur Dewar,-To ask the Secretary for Foreign Affairs: (1) whether in the event of the Chinese Government terminating the Convention of Chefoo, the Treaty of Tien-tsin would then revive; (2) whether under the Treaty of Tien-tsin China is compelled to accept as much opium as India desires to send, subject to an import duty of 30 taels per picul; (3) whether he is aware that the opium habit is widely prevalent in China, and seriously demoralises the Chinese people physically and morally; (4) and whether he will intimate to the Chinese Government that they are now free to regulate the opium traffic, or to exclude opium from Chinese territory by high tariff or otherwise as to them shall seem right, and that irrespective of any existing Convention or Treaty.

Answer.

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. It is legal to import opium at the Treaty ports under Rule 5 of the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin subject to a duty of 30 taels per picul.

The third and fourth questions raise large questions of opinion and controversy, which cannot be satisfactorily dealt with in the limits of a departmental answer, and which I would ask my honourable friend to defer till they can be dealt with on behalf of the Government in debate.

[1981 gg-1]

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