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despatch,* and he and Mr. Barton reinforced this protest by strong verbal representa- tion which they made on the same day.
On the 19th July Mr. Jamieson was instructed to inform the Viceroy that His Majesty's Government would hold him responsible for having nullified the opium agreement, and he was also authorised, if he deemed fit, to let the trade know that they had our support in their opposition to the regulations.
In the meantime, the Wai-wu Pu, in spite of my repeated declarations, and apparently to test their sincerity, addressed me a note (Enclosure 5), in which they asked that the three provinces of Manchuria, Szechuan, and Shansi should, in terms of article 3 of the agreement, enjoy exemption from the import of Indian opium. In my reply of the 22nd July (Enclosure 6),* I expressed my regret at being unable to entertain the proposal so long as China failed to enforce the terms of article 7 providing for the withdrawal of all provincial restrictions.
This action caused considerable umbrage to the Wai-wu Pu, and has been characterised by the native press as "unfair and unreasonable obstruction," but it has produced some effect.
On the 25th instant an Imperial decree, of which a copy is enclosed, was issued, describing the vexatious restrictions reported to have been imposed on the opium trade as not only inconsistent with the recent agreement, but as causing serious prejudice to the consideration of the question of prohibition by provinces. The assistance of a friendly Power was acknowledged, and the Viceroys and governors were warned that they would be held responsible for the faithful observance of the terms of the agreement.
In handing me a copy of this decree on the same day, the Ministers of the Wai-wu Pu again urged me to accede at once to their request for the exclusion of Indian opium from Manchuria, Szechuan, and Shansi, and argued that it was unreasonable for me to withhold my consent any longer.
I said that while I was as anxious as they could be to give loyal effect to the agreement, I could not possibly entertain the request until practical effect had been given to the decree both in Canton and Fukien-and there the matter rests for the present.
The Chinese Government are, I think, sincerely anxious to carry out the agreement in the spirit in which it was made, but provincial feeling on the subject so strong as to make the issue of the struggle somewhat doubtful. "The provincial exchequers are nearly all in a depleted condition, and at Canton and elsewhere the authorities are resorting to foreign loans as their only chance of averting bankruptcy. Indian opium alfords a tempting source of income, and the provincial authorities know that taxes levied under the plea of suppressing opium will give them popular approval as a set-off to any inconvenience resulting from the disregard of agreements made at Peking, But, as I have pointed out to the Wai-wu Pu, this is a risky procedure from an Imperial point of view, and may count against them when they come to ask foreign Powers to revise the tariff on the strength of their being able to impose their will upon the provinces in the abolition of li-kin.
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provinces before the conclusion of the supplementary opium agreement and the various taxation imposed by them, we have already issued orders that such acts should immediately cease. If harassing taxes under new names were again imposed, not only would it not be consonant with the additional duty article but it would seriously affect the question of prohibiting import province by province.
In view of the support of a friendly nation in the anti-opium movement, the local authorities of the said provinces should faithfully observe the terms of the agreement so that opium may be entirely suppressed in the provinces in their regular order, and that the end may be attained.
If this order is not rigorously carried out, or if any delay is caused to the detriment of the interests of the Empire, the said Viceroys and governors shall be held responsible.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Imperial Decree of July 25, 1911.
AT the present moment the suppression of opium constitutes an important feature of the administration. Lately, owing to the arrangement in the supplementary agreement recently concluded with the British Minister in Peking having been found satisfactory, we had issued a decree ordering that the work of reform should be zealously carried out so that the vice may be eradicated at an early date. The provinces which have actually achieved success in the prohibition of the cultivation and smoking of opium should be investigated into so that dates may be fixed for prohibiting the importation of the opium in the order of their suppression. In those provinces where the planting and smoking of opium is still largely carried on, orders should be issued to make the people repent and get rid of the evi.
The method of investigating the retail shops and opium smokers should be uniformly conducted, in accordance with the anti-opium regulations which have been promulgated from time to time, But no restrictions shall be placed on the wholesale opium dealers. As regards the various restrictions introduced by Canton and other
* Not printed.
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