CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 368

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

(

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

365 21655

RECE Rec 15 JUL 10 [July 6.]

SECTION 2.

[24364]

Sir,

No. 1.

Foreign Office to India Office.

Foreign Office, July 6, 1910. I AM directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for India, the accompanying copy of a telegram which has been received from the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce respecting the taxation of raw foreign opium at Canton.*

As you are aware, from Mr. Max Müller's telegrams Nos. 113 and 116 of the 15th and 24th ultimo, copies of which were sent to you on the 15th and 25th ultimo, he informed the Wai-wu Pu on the 14th June that His Majesty's Government could not accept any regulation enforcing an additional duty on raw foreign opium in a treaty port, and that the latter promised to inform the Canton Viceroy and call for a report. In consequence of a further appeal from the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Max Müller made a fresh protest on the 24th June, and urgently required that the objectionable regulation should be terminated in regard to foreign opium pending a reference to His Majesty's Government. This last expression presumably refers to the report which the Wai-wu Pu promised to call upon the Canton Viceroy to furnish.

I am to enquire whether, in the circumstances, Lord Morley considers that any further representations can usefully be made to the Chinese Government.

I am, &c.

F. A. CAMPBELL.

* Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce, Telegraphic, July 6, 1910.

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