CO129-376 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [3-4] — Page 242

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CONFIDENTIAL.

(

41.3346/10

"

Sir,

C O 13366

Drae | MAY !! Government House,

1234

Hongkong, 3rd. April, 1911.

In continuation of my Confidential

Despatch of the 28th. of last December, I have the honour to

inform you that Bishop Brent lunched with me on the 28th.

of last January and that in conversation he broached the

subject of Opium. I asked him what was the explanation of

the figures quoted in my Despatch. I suggested that it was

not putting it too strongly to say that the United States

(through at least one of their delegates, Dr. Hamilton

Wright,) had claimed much credit for the Act, which had been

passed by the United States Congress, prohibiting the im-

-port into America of Opium except for medicinal purposes,

and that these figures were, therefore, very damaging to her

credit. Bishop Brent entirely agreed with me and said that

the legislation had become inoperative owing to State

opposition and to some legal defect, now in process of being

cured, which had nullified the Act of Congress. He was not

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&C..

&c.,

&c...

very