CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 348

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(This Document is the Property of Hie Britanulu Majesty's Government.]

C O 16339

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

RECR RAGE 18 MAY 11

[April 21.]

SECTION 2.

[14668]

No. 1.

(No. 72.) (Telegraphic.) P.

Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.

OPIUM. Your telegram No. 94 of the 7th April.

Foreign Office, April 21, 1911.

It is now the desire of His Majesty's Government that you should, as speedily as possible, effect a settlement on the best terms you can without further consultation as to views of the Government of India, should you consider such a course advisable. You should, however, submit any such settlement for the confirmation of His Majesty's Government.

The settlement should deal with the two questions outstanding at present, ie., (1) the treatment of existing stocks of uncertified opium, and (2) the question of closure by provinces.

His Majesty's Government are willing, with regard to (1), to agree to a considerable reduction of certified exports from India, provided that the stocks of uncertified opium in Hong Kong and the treaty ports are guaranteed the same privileges as certified opium, but only on the understanding that, should you consider it necessary, the details of the arrangement will be submitted to His Majesty's Government before a definite settlement is reached, in order that the workable nature of the details may be ensured. His Majesty's Government are fully aware, with regard to (2), of the grave con- sequences which might ensue from acceding to present form of the Chinese demand for power to close the treaty ports, including Hong Kong and Shanghai. This concession should, therefore, be offered only in the last resort, and if no alternative expedient such as the shortening of the agreed term for the continuance of the certified Indian traffic can be devised. Should you, however, find it necessary under the powers now conferred on you to accede to the demand for the closure of treaty ports by provinces, you should endeavour to secure the insertion of a provision to the effect that the right thus granted shall not be exercised before the end of 1912, or some such date, with respect to any treaty port, or at least in respect of Shanghai and Canton, and that such exercise shall be further contingent upon the production of evidence that opium production and the import of native opium have ceased in the province.

full discretion with regard to pressing these suggestions.

You

may exercise your A suggestion has been made by the Chinese Minister here, who is not in favour of suppression by provinces, that, when in a position to do so, China should announce that throughout her territory all production has ceased, and that thereupon all importations from India should cease on the expiration to be agreed upon. I would invite your attention to your telegram No. 15 of the 27th January last in this connection.

We should be glad to receive your suggestions as early as possible with regard to the terms in which the Government of India should convey to the opium merchants an intimation of the new rate of consolidated duty. See their telegrain of the 7th April last.

(Repeated to India.)

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