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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[25196]
No. 1.
(July 11:28 II. 10)
SECTION 1.
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received July 12.)
India Office, July 11, 1910. IN continuation of this Office's letter dated the 1st July, 1910, on the subject of the proposed Opium Conference at The Hague, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, for the information of Sir Edward Grey, a copy of a telegram from the Government of India, regarding the proposed conference and regarding Dr. Hamilton Wright's report on the Shanghai International Commission. A copy of Mr. Brunyate's memorandum will be forwarded when it is received from India.
I am, &c.
ED. S. MONTAGU.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Government of India to Viscount Morley.
(Telegraphic.) P.
July 4, 1910. WE are advised that Dr. Hamilton Wright's report on the International Opium Commission, forwarded with your Revenue Secretary's letter of the 6th May last, gives an account of the proceedings and views of the Commission which is false and misleading.
Mr. Brunyate, the Government of India's representative on the commission, has written a memorandum on the subject, which follows by post. We hope you will refer this memorandum to Sir C. Clementi Smith for confirmation, or get from him at once an independent opinion on the report in question. Mr. Brunyate in particular characterises as wholly unfounded (1) the statement that the necessity of further international action was recognised by the commission; (ii) the statement that the Chinese statistics regarding the reduction of cultivation, which were thrown over later by the Chinese delegate himself, were accepted by most of the delegates; and (iii) the whole story as to the opposition to, and ultimate adoption of, the fourth American resolution.
The adoption by America of a garbled presentation of the commission's attitude as the starting-point for further international action is a matter of grave concern. India's position in regard to the Chinese reforms is immensely different from that of other countries; her co-operation involves heavy sacrifices and a readjustment of economic conditions, not only in British India, but also in a number of native States, the strain upon whose resources will be severe. It is a heavy task, but we have accepted it and the consequences that it entails; and we have also accepted without reserve the recommendations of the Shanghai Commission. We can reasonably claim in return the support of His Majesty's Government against any further international interference with the honourable fulfilment of our ten years' agreement with the Chinese Government. No such interference was recommended by the Shanghai Commission, and a desire to misrepresent our policy and to belittle our services to China obviously underlies the proposal for a conference at The Flague. It was with great difficulty that our position was maintained at Shanghai, and we have already put forward our objections to a second conference in our letter of the 26th May last.
We would again earnestly deprecate participation in such a conference, which would involve a grave risk of disaster to Indian revenues and interference with internal administration that would be politically dangerous. If, however, His Majesty's Government, for political reasons, find it impossible to abstain, we would most strongly urge the desirability of definitely excluding from the discussion our arrangement with China and the treaty rights of our trade.
We trust also that you will secure the appointment of an Indian officer, with special knowledge of the problems involved, to represent India.
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