CO129-382 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 227

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Enclosurefin Sir John Jordan's No.456 of December

1910.

X6 JAN 1911

fote.

Prince Ch'ing to H.M.Minister.

December 14

1910.

sir.

TIS

I have the honour to acknowledge truceipt of Mr.Max Fuller's memorandum of November 16 in which he stated that a Proclamation had been issued by the Opium Investigation Office of Kuangtung providing for more careful supervision over opium in transit to Yiangsi and for an annual reduction of 30 in

the quantity conveyed there. Mr.Max Maller further asked that

the Proclamation be cancelled.

Again on December 2 I received

a note from Your Excellency sending a copy of the Proclamation

in question.

My Board accordingly sent several telegrams to the Canton Viceroy and have now received a telegram in the following terms.

"On receipt of your telegrams I passed them on to the Tead

Opium Investigation Office. They now reply that when Tianrsi

dealers buy opium in Fonekong, if they ship it by sea to Shang- hai and thence to Kiukiang, Canton Province is not affected, but if they transport the opium through the interior to Kiangsi

if frequently happens that just after leaving Kuangtung they

at once secretly boil the opium which pours hack into the Pro-

are

vince. Further that they thus without any means of investiga-

tion and the licence tax system of the Province is seriously

affected. mor this reason it was considered necessary to make

certain restrictions.

In view of your communications alluded to above I have

issued orders to cancel the Proclamation of the Opium Investiga-

tion Office.".

I have the honour to address this reply for Your Excellency

information.