**
:
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
37
33136 [August 17.]
CHINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[27609]
No. 1.
SHOT 16 SEP 07
Sir,
Messrs. Sassoon and Co, to Foreign Office.-(Received August 17.)
9, Fenchurch Avenue, London, August 16, 1907, WE have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo, regarding the reported intention of the Viceroy of Nanking to establish an opium monopoly.
We now beg to inclose, as desired, an extract from a letter received to-day from our house in Shanghae, dated the 26th ultimo, in confirmation of the cable advice of the 25th idem that "preparations are proceeding."
We have, &c.
(Signed) E. D. SASSOON & Co.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Messrs. Sassoon and Co., Shanghae, to Messrs. Sassoon and Co., London.
(Extract.)
"THIS at Nanking, and the plan is to be carried out in other places if it is successful there, the object, so they say, being to restrict opium, and not to make profit. Office nominally will be opened at once, but rules are not yet sanctioned."
The above is nothing short of a monopoly, as the Chinese Government will reserve to themselves the right of preparing opium and selling it, and they can consequently name their own prices while buying raw opium from wholesale dealers. If the British Government give their consent to such a scheme, the Chinese Govern- ment will have the sole privilege of buying any foreign opium or not, with the inevitable result of ruining the trade in foreign drug.
We may further draw your attention to the statement in the above-mentioned telegram of the Nanking Consul, that a man named Sun has provided funds for starting the monopoly, and you will therefore observe that the original difficulty in having the monopoly is thus obviated.
We therefore wired you yesterday:
"Referring to your telegram of the 22nd instant, learn from undoubted source preparations are proceeding."
[2623 r—1]
Page 90Page 91
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.