CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 747

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's/Government.) 742

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

C.O.

January 8.111308

RECE

SECTION APR 09

[1004]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 8.)

(No. 14.) (Telegraphic.) P.

OPIUM Commission.

Peking, January 8, 1909.

I interviewed Na-tung and Liang Tun-yen to-day at the Wai-wu Pu on the above subject, taking as a basis your telegram No. 5 of the 5th instant. In particular I asked them what questions the Chinese Government were thinking of raising at the meeting of the Commission, and inquired on what instructions the Chinese repre- As regards the restriction of the export from India, sentatives would base their action.

I reminded them of the agreement under which His Majesty's Government were giving valuable assistance to China by their undertaking to take gradual measures in that direction subject to certain provisions; it was understood that this arrangement should be given a three years' trial, and I presumed that I could take for granted the Chinese Government's intention to abide by this undertaking.

Their Excellencies denied any desire to reopen that question, which they considered The duties of the settled by the arrangement in a perfectly satisfactory manner. Commissioners, as they understood them, were merely to investigate the opium question, and their Delegates would not be empowered either to make any proposals of their own initiative or to raise such a question as I had mentioned.

The opening meeting of the Commission would be attended by the Viceroy at Nanking in the capacity of President, but that official would have no share in the actual deliberations of the Delegates.

[2090 h-1]