CO129-382 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 163

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

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[46929]

[December 29.

C O

SECTION 1.

622

No.

REOP

!!

Sir J. Jorðan to Sir Edward Grey, (Received December 29.)

(No. 444.) Sir,

IN confirmation of my telegram No. 196 of the 8th instant, I have the honour to

Peking, December 10, 1910. transmit to you herewith copy of a memorandum which the Wai-wu Pu have addressed to me on the subject of the recent opium negotiations.

This document contains several statements to which serious exception will have to be taken when the negotiations come to be resumed, but as the whole question is under the consideration of His Majesty's Government, I have thought it wise to abstain from further discussion here until I have received your instructions and until the Chinese Government is itself prepared to reconsider the attitude it has adopted in deference to local agitation.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Memorandum.)

Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.

AT Sir John Jordan's interview with the Board yesterday several points arose with regard to which a misunderstanding existed, and consequently a memorandum bas been prepared in the following terms :-

1. The delay in concluding a new arrangement with regard to the import of Indian pium is not the fault of the Chinese Government, who some time ago had prepared nd forwarded to the British Legation a memorandum on this subject. It was only ast month that Mr. Max Müller forwarded to the Board a memorandum from the British Government. At that time the Board stated that the question of increasing the duty must first be included. Discussion took place over this, causing the loss of much ime, and up to the present no solution has been reached. It is only a month since the British Legation memorandum was received while there were certain additions to it hich it was necessary to discuss, and there were certain points which could not be ettled. It is not right, therefore, to make a hasty charge of delay.

2. Although the British Legation memorandum included certain proposals made by this Board, yet it also contained many demands of various kinds. The Board, owever, stated at the time that they only agreed to examine the memorandum; they ever accepted it. Furthermore, it was stated that, unless the question of the increase the duty was included, the Board would be unable to discuss the agreement with the Board of Finance. There is, therefore, some misunderstanding existing, in view of är John Jordan's statement that the Board sought to cancel proposals already greed on.

3. When the Board recently consulted the Board of Finance it was only in regard the question of the enhancement of duty, but now the whole body of the Senate have assed resolutions shortening the period for probibiting the smoking and planting of pium and the transit trade in opium. Although native opium only is alluded to, yet be import of Indian opium is very seriously affected thereby. At the same time, the enate urged the Board to alter the arrangements formerly entered into with Great ritain. They pointed out that it was a work for the good of humanity to prohibit pim, and that, in view of the friendly relations existing between China and Great ritain, it would appear that the latter could not but render every assistance in such a

use.

Now, the Senate constitutes the foundation of the National Assembly, and in view the fact that people from the capital and all the provinces have met together and ven this decision, it is only natural that a definite value should be attached to it. bey cannot be regarded as officiously interfering, still less as mere agitators. This estion is one affecting the interests of the Chinese people, and the Board cannot

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