CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 319

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

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[35372]

C O

34472-

[[October 10.]

Rece

SECTION 2.

Rrosio NOV 10

No. 1.

Sir,

Foreign Office to India Office.

Foreign Office, October 10, 1910. WITH reference to the letter from this department of the 30th ultimo, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to you herewith a copy of a letter from Messrs. E. D. and D. Sassoon and Co., enquiring what is the present position of affairs in regard to the opium question in Kwantung.

Subject to Lord Morley's concurrence, Sir E. Grey proposes to reply that the Chinese Government have now approached His Majesty's Government with certain proposals in regard to the general question of the import of opium into China, which are receiving careful consideration, and that in any case His Majesty's Government will endeavour to secure in future the freedom of the wholesale trade in opium from interference.

With regard to the complaint made by Messrs. Sassoon, in the letter under transmission, as to the reference made by His Majesty's consul-general at Canton to Kowloon as "a Chinese port of entry," Sir E. Groy understands that there is a station of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs at that port, and that Mr. Jamieson's expression is perhaps attributable to that fact.

I am, &c.

F. A. CAMPBELL.

[2907 k--2]

* Messrs. E. D. and D. Sassoon, September 29, 1910.

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