2
duty and li-kin will be paid in accordance with the Regulations. Any Persian or Turkish opium shipped to China for which this special permit cannot be produced shall be confiscated.
CA
Taking 1,125 piculs as the mean annual import of Persian and Turkish opium, this quantity shall be reduced every year by one-ninth, i.e., 125 piculs. Thus in 1909 special permits will only be issued for 1,000 piculs, and by making a similar reduction annually the import will entirely cease in nine years. permits will be issued, and the import into China of Persian and Turkish opium, as well as that of Indian opium, will be completely suspended after 1916.
"2. The special permits will only be issued to merchants who have hitherto, to the knowledge of the Imperial Maritime Customs, been engaged in the trade in Turkish and Persian opium. In fixing the number of special permits to be issued annually to each merchant, the total import during the two years, 1906 and 1907, and the quantities imported by each merchant during those years, will be taken as a basis, the number of permits being decreased annually.
"The above proposals refer to the restriction of the import of Turkish and Persian opium. With regard to other sorts of opium, no information as to the place of origin is available, as particulars are not given in the Imperial Maritime Customs Returns of Trade. As, however, the quantity is trifling, amounting in 1906 to only 64 piculs, which was all re-exported, the matter hardly appears to require consideration."
The Revenue Council request the Board to communicate these proposals to your Excellency and to inform them of our views on the subject in order that the requisite instructions may be given to the Customs authorities.
The Board is of the opinion that as the three proposals formulated by the Inspector-General for the limitation and annual decrease of the quantity of Persian and Turkish opium imported into China are on the same lines as the British Government's scheme for limiting the export of foreign opium from India, and are fair and just, they should be put into force. A reply has therefore been addressed to the Revenue Council requesting that the Inspector-General be directed to take the necessary action, and a notification has been sent to all the foreign Representatives in Peking.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[15739]
No. 1.
C
48941
RECP
[May 5.]
RSG 2008
SECTION 1.
Question asked in the House of Commons, May 5, 1908.
Mr. Theodore C. Taylor,-To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in a large number of the chief cities of China all opium dens have been closed by order of the Chinese Government; whether he is aware that in Hong Kong the Colonial Government derives a considerable revenue from licensing opium dens; and whether the time has at length come when steps should be taken to terminate the opium traffic in that Colony.
Answer.
I understand that the reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative, but as regards the second, that it is scarcely accurate to refer to “a considerable revenue,' as the amount to be derived from licences for 1908 would appear to amount to only £1801; the third paragraph, as my honourable friend will agree, is difficult to deal with in question and answer, but I gather I may have an opportunity of expressing the views of His Majesty's Government on the matter in the course of debate to-morrow evening.
[2967 e-1]
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
Prince CHING.
2
duty and li-kin will be paid in accordance with the Regulations. Any Persian or Turkish opium shipped to China for which this special permit cannot be produced shall be confiscated.
CA
Taking 1,125 piculs as the mean annual import of Persian and Turkish opium, this quantity shall be reduced every year by one-ninth, i.e., 125 piculs. Thus in 1909 special permits will only be issued for 1,000 piculs, and by making a similar reduction annually the import will entirely cease in nine years. permits will be issued, and the import into China of Persian and Turkish opium, as well After 1916 no more special as that of Indian opium, will be completely suspended.
"2. The special permits will only be issued to merchants who have hitherto, to the knowledge of the Imperial Maritime Customs, been engaged in the trade in Turkish and Persian opium. In fixing the number of special permits to be issued annually to each merchant, the total import during the two years, 1906 and 1907, and the quantities imported by each merchant during those years, will be taken as a basis, the number of permits being decreased annually.
"The above proposals refer to the restriction of the import of Turkish and Persian opium. With regard to other sorts of opium no information as to the place of origin is available, as particulars are not given in the Imperial Maritime Customs Returns of Trade. As, however, the quantity is trifling, amounting in 1906 to only 64 piculs, which was ail re-exported, the matter hardly appears to require consideration."
The Revenue Council request the Board to communicate these proposals to your Excellency, and to inform them of our views on the subject in order that the requisite instructions may be given to the Customs authorities.
The Board is of the opinion that as the three proposals formulated by the Inspector- General for the limitation and annual decrcase of the quantity of Persian and Turkish opium imported into China are on the same lines as the British Government's scheme for limiting the export of foreign opium from India, and are fair and just, they should be put into force. A reply has therefore been addressed to the Revenue Council requesting that the Inspector-General be directed to take the necessary action, and a notification has been sent to all the foreign Representatives in Peking,
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[15739]
No. 1.
C
48941
RECP
[May 5.]
RSG 2008
SECTION 1.
Question asked in the House of Commons, May 5, 1908.
Mr. Theodore C. Taylor,-To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in a large number of the chief cities of China all opium dens have been closed by order of the Chinese Government; whether he is aware that in Hong Kong the Colonial Government derives a considerable revenue from licensing opium dens; and whether the time has at length come when steps should be taken to terminate the opium traffic in that Colony.
Answer.
I understand that the reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative, but as regards the second, that it is scarcely accurate to refer to “a considerable revenue,'
as the amount to be derived from licences for 1908 would appear to amount to only 1801, the third paragraph, as my honourable friend will agree, is difficult to deal with in question and answer, but I gather I may have an opportunity of expressing the views of His Majesty's Government on the matter in the course of debate to-morrow evening.
[2967 e-1]
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
Prince CHING.
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