[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
[March 11,7
CONFIDENTIAL,
SECTION
4.5
.9018]
No. 1.
Rece Rraf 25 R
:.
Messrs. E. D. and Messrs. D. Sassoon and Co. to Foreign Office.-(Received March 11.)
Sir,
9, Fenchurch Avenue, B.C., March 10, 1911.
WE beg to thank you for your letter of the 15th February, informing us that the whole question is engaging the serious attention of His Majesty's Government, and that Sir E. Grey was in communication with Sir J. Jordan with a view to putting a stop to the illegal enactments made from time to time by the local Chinese authorities at Canton.
We regret, however, to inform you that we have just received a cable from Hong Kong reading as follows :-
"Canton farmer detained thirty-six chests in transit, Kiangsi, demanding tax in spite of declarations Chinese authorities; opium in transit will be free; Kwangtung tax cases similar to September last; also seizure reported Amoy, Canton; we have protested; urge Foreign Office take up matter; conclude negotiations speedily."
From the above it is clear that instead of the position improving it is going from bad to worse. Since the last unwarranted imposition of 200 dollars per chest, the price of opium in the recent auctions in Calcutta has dropped about 500 rupees per chest, which is a further serious loss to the Indian revenue, as well as a detriment to the merchants on their stocks in China and in transit.
It appears clear that the Chinese have not in view the extinction of the opium trade, but their wish is to squeeze as much as possible out of it with a total disregard to treaty obligations.
Without strong steps being taken, it is apparent that the Chinese will continue to hold all their obligations with this country in contempt.
We have, &c.
E. D. SASSOON AND Co. DAVID SASSOON and Co. (Limited).
[1930 -1]
60
Nay
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