CO129-352 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 137

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American Covernment it is understood had

in view the investigation of the opium

trade and the opium habit in the Fur

East, with the object of arriving at a

decision as to whether the consequences

were not such that civilized powers should

do what they could to put a stop to it.

A preliminary investigation of the facts

by means of a Commission before the sub-

ject of restrictive and repressive mea-

Burus could be profitably considered was

also pronounced to be necessary by the

French Foreign Office in their Wote of

the Bro July, 1907, which you more good

enough to communicate to me on October

30th lust.

In the opinion of His "ujeety's Gov-

erment # Commission sitting at Shanghai

would be well placed for making the de-

tailed enquiry advocated in that Note,in-

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