CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 603

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Gofornutènt.D

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

27094 599

Rice

[August 12.1 EP 10

SECTION 1.

[28328]

No. 1.

(No. 281.) Sir,

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Max Müller.

Foreign Office, August 12, 1910. I HAVE received your despatch No. 213 of the 29th June last, enclosing corre- spondence which has passed between the British vice-consul at Ningpo and yourself regarding a protest of Messrs. Sassoon against the application of certain opium licensing regulations.

I approve your decision not to interfere with the Chinese control of native retail opium dealers, nor to urge the Chinese authorities to issue licences to traders who do not possess the qualifications required, and I concur in the reply sent by you to Mr. Barr on the subject.

[2860 m-

-1]

I am, &c.

E. GREY.