CO129-353 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 261

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

2

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.

Your Highness,

Peking, October 10, 1908. THE contents of your Highness' note of the 28th September to the effect that, the Treaty Powers having all agreed to its conditions, Article 11 of the British-Chinese Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, on the subject of the prohibition of the importation of morphia, would be brought into force from the 1st January, 1909, were submitted by me to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs by telegraph, and I am now in receipt of telegraphic instructions expressing the assent of IIis Majesty's Government to the course therein proposed by the Chinese Government,

Notifications in this sense will be issued at all His Majesty's Consulates in China as soon as practicable.

I avail, &c.

Sir,

(Signed)

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Circular to Consuls.

J. N. JORDAN,

Peking, October 10, 1908. I INCLOSE, for your information and guidance, copies of correspondence with the Wai-wu Pu in regard to Article 11 of the British-Chinese Treaty of the 5th September, 1902 (prohibition of the general importation of morphia), which it has been agreed shall be brought into operation from the 1st January, 1909.

You are requested to issue the notification to British subjects which is inclosed, and to take whatever steps may be necessary to secure the proper fulfilment of the Treaty provisions pending the issue of a King's Regulation, which is under consideration.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 4 in No. 1.

Notification.

J. N. JORDAN.

UNDER instructions received from His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Undersigned hereby notities British subjects that His Majesty's Government has agreed to the enforcement, from the 1st January, 1909, of Article 11 of the Treaty which was concluded between Great Britain and China at Shanghae on the 5th September, 1902. From the 1st January, 1909, the importation of morphia, and instruments for its injection, into China will consequently be prohibited by the Chinese Government. Due provision will, however, be made for the importation into China of morphia and instruments for its injection for medicinal purposes, and all British subjects concerned are requested to ascertain without delay from the nearest British Consulate the method of procedure to be followed in that regard,

(Signed)

J. N. JORDAN, His Britannic Majesty's Minister.

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL,

[38926]

No. 1.

257

[November 9.]

SECTION 2.

Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 9.) (No. 255.) Sir,

Tokio, October 3, 1908. WITH reference to my telegram No. 71 of to-day's date, I have the honour to report that upon receipt of your despatch No. 204 of the 13th August last, received on the 9th September, I drew the attention of Count Komura to the question of the restriction of the importation of morphia into China, and at an interview which took place on the 10th September his Excellency promised to look into the matter.

he

At his weekly reception on the 1st instant I again questioned Count Komura on the subject, who informed me that as a result of his investigations he had come to the conclusion that there was no reason whatever for Japan to hold out in the matter; had therefore telegraphed five days previously to the Japanese Chargé d'Affaires at Peking instructing him to notify the Japanese Government's assent to restriction to the Chinese Government.

This somewhat sudden settlement of a question respecting which the Japanese Government have for some time held out is doubtless part of the new policy of conciliation of China which has been inaugurated by the present Cabinet.

I have, &c. (Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,

[2020 i-2]

Peking, October 10, 1908.