CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 504

[This Document is the n

OPIUM

CONFIDENTIAL.

[32907]

No. 1.

CO 501 30132

Rece RESER.J

SECTION 3.

(No. 315.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received August 21.)

Peking, August 5, 1911. WITH reference to my despatch No. 302 of the 27th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty's consul at Foochow, enclosing copies of correspondence exchanged between himself and the Viceroy which has resulted in the issue of satisfactory instructions to the local officials of the province of Fukien in regard to the withdrawal of restrictions on the wholesale trade in foreign opium.

I have, &c. (For the Minister),

Enclosure in No. 1.

PERCY LORAINE.

(No. 17.) Sir,

Consul Werner to Sir J. Jordan.

Foochow, July 20, 1911. WITH reference to my previous reports on the way in which the enforcement of the Opium Agreement of the 8th May last has been neglected by the native officials of this province, I have the honour to state that the Viceroy's instructions to the various districts that the terms of the agreement were to be carried out seemed to me inadequate, since they merely stated that whilst the retail trade could be stopped the wholesale trade was not to be interfered with. I therefore requested his Excellency to specially telegraph to the prefects and magistrates that proclamations were to be put out in all places, since unless this was done the native merchants would still hesitate to send the opium inland. I have the honour to enclose copy and translation of my letter,* and also copy and translation of his Excellency's reply,* in which he states that he has telegraphed to all the districts as requested.

As already reported, I have taken steps to test the efficacy of these instructions, and, in accordance with my suggestion, Mossrs. Petigura and Co. sent five chests of Malwa opium to Sha Hsien on the 11th instant. So far there has not been any report of any interference, but some days must elapse before the result can be known.

I understand that this opium question is the cause of great dissension among the various Foochow native officials, and that some very stormy interviews have taken place between the prefect and the director of the foreign board.

I have, &c.

E. T. C. WERNER.

* Not printed.

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