CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 363

No. 3507.

70 7608

361

C.0.

FOREIGN

OFFICE,

5174

RECE

NEG 12 FEC 09

February 11th, 1909.

Sir,

With reference to the letter from this Office of the 13th

ultimo,

I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to

you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies,

a copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Peking

relative to the action of the Provincial Government at Canton

in placing restrictions upon the sale of opium.

Sir E. Grey proposes, if the Earl of Crewe sees no objection,

to concur in the views expressed by Sir J. Jordan to the effect

that no violation of British Treaty rights is involved by the

terms of the rules issued by the Provincial Government in Sep-

tember, 1906.

Even should a case be made out in favour of

the rules being considered to constitute a technical violation

of Treaty rights, Sir B. Grey would be disposed all the same

not to raise objection to the rules being carried out.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office

humble servant

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