CO129-385 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 19

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[36536]

No. 1.

18

[September 18.),

SECTION 1.

0 32749

Prof

of 9 OCT II

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 18.)

(No. 312.) Sir,

Peking, September 1, 1911. WITH reference to my despatch No. 301 of the 26th July, I have the honour to inform you that on the 7th August I received a further note from Prince Ching stating that a telegram had been received from the Governor-General at Canton to the effect that orders had been given to abandon the anti-opium medicine scheme and, as all restrictions had thus been removed, requesting me to consent to the proposal made in his note of the 18th July that the import of Indian opium into the provinces of Fengtien, Kirin, Hei-lung-chiang, Szechuan, and Shansi, should be prohibited. On the 18th ultimo, I received a telegram from His Majesty's consul general at Canton stating that the Governor-General had addressed him a despatch reciting in full the text of the Imperial decree of the 25th July and declaring that he must conform therewith. This despatch has not yet been received; but, as Mr. Jamieson considered it satisfactory, I replied on the 21st to Prince Ch'ing's note of the 7th August stating that as soon as China had, in accordance with article 3 of the agreement established by clear evidence that she had effectively suppressed the cultivation of opium in and the import of native opium into these five provinces, I was prepared to give my consent to his proposal. Copies of Prince Ching's note and of my reply are enclosed.

As stated in my telegram No. 177 of the 20th August, I arranged to accept as evidence required under article 3 of the agreement a copy of a memorial and Imperial decree ordering the effective suppression of cultivation in and the import of native opium into these provinces, and on the 28th August, I received a note from Prince Ch'ing renewing the proposal and requesting that the prohibition should take effect from the 11th day of September. This note was accompanied by a copy of the memorial and Imperial rescript, and, as this proved satisfactory, I addressed a note to Prince Ch'ing on the 30th August consenting, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, to the prohibition of the import of Indian opium into the provinces of Fengtien, Kirin, Hei-lung-chiang, Shansi, and Szechuan from the 11th day of September. Copies of Prince Ching's note, of the memorial with Imperial rescript, and of my reply are enclosed.

As regards Manchuria, the import of Indian opium into its three provinces has for many years been insignificant. Indeed, prior to the suppression movement, there was a considerable export, mostly smuggled, of native opium to the northern provinces of China; but, owing to the stringency of the measures recently taken, there is good reason to believe that cultivation has been entirely suppressed. Shansi and Szechuan had always been opium producing and exporting not importing provinces, and, as you are aware, Sir Alexander Hosie in the course of his investigation was satisfied that cultivation of the poppy had been effectively eradicated. Under these circumstances, I found no hesitation in consenting to Prince Ching's proposal, and the Imperial Decree should secure permanent suppression of cultivation in and import of native opium into these provinces, and also furnish a valuable precedent for dealing with future applica- tions of the kind from the Chinese Government.

I

am,

&c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir,

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Sir J. Jordan.

August 7, 1911. ON the 18th July I addressed a note to your Excellency pointing out that in the provinces of Fengtien, Kirin, Hei-lung-chiang, Szechuan and Shansi, the cultivation of native opium having now been effectively suppressed, and the import of native opium from other provinces prohibited, article 3 of the new opium agreement should be carried out, and the import of Indian opium into these provinces be prohibited.

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