CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 251

This Document is the Property of His Eritannic Majody's Covermnene.

CO

[July 13.]

248

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[27399]

24845

RECO Red 29 JUL 11

SECTION 2.

No. 1.

India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received July 13.)

Sir,

AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to inform you, with

India Office, July 12, 1911. reference to the letter from Sir J. Jordan forwarded in your covering letter of the 30th June, that he is anxious to obtain data for estimating the probable future annual requirements of Indian opium by countries other than China.

When the Opium Agreement of 1907 was concluded with China, a calculation was made by deducting from the average annual export of opium from India (taken as 67,000 chests) the amount taken by China (51,000 chests), leaving 16,000 chests as the share of all other countries (see enclosed tabular statement). Under the recent agree- ment, the opium sold for export to China, which will be an annually diminishing quantity, will be earmarked by the Indian Government, and China has the right to exclude all other opium. In order to lessen the chances of smuggling into China, it is desirable to ascertain with such accuracy as may be possible the opium requirements of other countries outside China, and to adjust in accordance with this demand the quantity of uncertificated opium placed on the market by the Indian Government.

With regard to the figures of the statement enclosed, I am to explain that they show the exports of opium from India according to the exporters' declarations, and not their final destination. It may, for instance, be the case that part of the 13,719 chests consigned on the average of the five years (1901-6) to the Straits Settlements found its way to China, and was not for domestic consumption. Similarly, the smaller consignments to the Straits Settlements during the last three years (1908-11) may not represent a correspondingly diminished local demand, but may be due to larger direct shipments from India to China, and smaller shipments to the Straits for ultimate transmission to China.

The

A comparison of the net imports of opium into each country with the figures given in the table would show whether their aggregate requirements in the past amounted to 16,000 chests, and whether they have diminished during the last few years. Secretary of State for India has not the necessary information before him for instituting this comparison, and he would be glad if it could be supplied for the several countries given in the table, together with any explanatory comments which suggest themselves. If in any country which takes opium from India there has been a real diminution of consumption, it is important to know whether this is likely to be temporary, permanent, or progressive.

The Marquess of Crewe would be glad to learn the views of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, especially with regard to the probable requirements of Indo-China and Java.

A similar enquiry has been addressed to the Colonial Office and the Board of Trade.

I am, &c.

EDWIN S. MONTAGU.

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