his Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
Res (R.20 [June 23.12 1398
A TRADE.
FIDENTIAL.
822]
No. 1.
SECTION 4.
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received June 23.)
India Office, June 22, 1908.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 19th ultimo, inclosing a copy of a note by the American Ambassador on the subject of the Joint Opium Commission.
With regard to the views expressed in the note as to the procedure to be followed by the Commission, and the terms of the reference to be made to it, I am to make the following observations :
*
In Sir E. Grey's despatch, dated the 17th October, 1906, to His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington, it was stated that, in proposing a Commission, the American Government had in view the investigation of the opium trade, and the opium evil in the Far 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 subject of restrictive and repressive measures could be profitably considered was pronounced to be necessary by the French Government in their note of the 12th July, 1907.
14
A Commission sitting at Shanghai would be well placed for making the detailed inquiry advocated in that note into the production, commerce, use, and disadvantages of opium in the Far East, and its findings on the facts would be in the highest degree a valuable and important document. I am therefore to suggest that this aspect of the Commission's duties should be brought out in the instructions to be framed for its guidance. The findings of the Commission on the facts would naturally govern the nature of its recommendations.
The Secretary of State in Council approves the proposal that the Commission should assemble at Shanghai, and he considers that its labours would be expedited if the representatives of the several Governments were first to acquaint themselves fully with the opium question as it presents itself in their respective countries, and were thus in a position to inform the Commission when it assembles as to the regulations and restrictions there in force, and to formulate and discuss proposals for amending them in points in which they may be found in the course of the joint inquiry to affect the opium trade and the opium habit in the Far East. If this view of the procedure to be followed commends itself to the American Government and to the other Powers, some revision of the instructions outlined in the note of the American Ambassador will be necessary. As these instructions are at present worded, they would require the Delegates of the several Governments to undertake a more responsible and extensive investigation than is feasible, and to make proposals for altering the administrative regulations of their respective countries before the Commission had entered upon its inquiry, or had ascertained the precise nature of the remedies which the present circumstances of the opium trade and the opium habit in the Far East may require.
With regard to the representation of His Majesty's Government on the Commission, I am to suggest that one Delegate should be appointed to represent India, another to represent the Crown Colonies, and a third by the Foreign Office from among its officers serving in China. Lord Morley presumes that a vote will be obtained by the Treasury to meet the cost of the proposed delegation.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
A. GODLEY,
[1815 -4]
his Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
Res (R.20 [June 23.12 1398
A TRADE.
FIDENTIAL.
822]
No. 1.
SECTION 4.
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received June 23.)
India Office, June 22, 1908.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the eipt of your letter dated the 19th ultimo, inclosing a copy of a note by the American ibassador on the subject of the Joint Opium Commission.
With regard to the views expressed in the note as to the procedure to be followed the Commission, and the terms of the reference to be made to it, I am to make the owing observations :~
*
In Sir E. Grey's despatch, dated the 17th October, 1906, to His Majesty's bassador at Washington, it was stated that, in proposing a Commission, the gerican Government had in view the investigation of the opium trade, and the opium in the Far East, with the object of arriving at a decision as to whether the sequences were not such that civilized Powers should do what they could to put a to it. A preliminary investigation of the facts by means of a Commission before subject of restrictive and repressive measures could be profitably cousidered was pronounced to be necessary by the French Government in their note of the July, 1907.
14
A Commission sitting at Shanghae would be well placed for making the detailed jury advocated in that note into the production, commerce, use, and disadvantages opium" in the Far East, and its findings on the facts would be in the highest gree a valuable and important document. I am therefore to suggest that this aspect the Commission's duties should be brought out in the instructions to be framed for guidance. The findings of the Commission on the facts would naturally govern the ture of its recommendations.
The Secretary of State in Council approves the proposal that the Commission should emble at Shanghac, and be considers that its labours would be expedited if the presentatives of the several Governments were first to acquaint themselves fully with opium question as it presents itself in their respective countries, and were thus in position to inform the Commission when it assembles as to the regulations and trictions there in force, and to formulate and discuss proposals for amending them in ints in which they may be found in the course of the joint inquiry to affect the opium de and the opium habit in the Far East. If this view of the procedure to be followed mends itself to the American Government and to the other Powers, some revision the instructions outlined in the note of the American Ambassador will be necessary. these instructions at present are worded, they would require the Delegates of the peral Governments to undertake a more responsible and extensive investigation than pe permits, and to make proposals for altering the administrative regulations of their spective countries before the Commission had entered upon its inquiry, or had pertained the precise nature of the remedies which the present circumstances of the um trade and the opium habit in the Far East may require.
With regard to the representation of His Majesty's Government on the Commission, im to suggest that one Delegate should be appointed to represent India, another to present the Crown Colonies, and a third by the Foreign Office from among its eers serving in China. Lord Morley presumes that a vote will be obtained by the easury to meet the cost of the proposed delegation.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
A. GODLEY,
[1815 -4]
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