CO129-390 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1912 [5-6] — Page 335

avid Sassoon & Co.,

Ld.

COPY.

324

The Hon. Colonial Secretary,

Hongkong, 14th. June, 1912.

C. 0.

Sir,

Present.

We beg to bring to your notice that a paragraph has appeared in yesterday's issue of the *Chun Ngoi San Po" to the effect that the Peking Government have sanctioned the exportation of native opium from the Province of Kweichow and that the Financi- -al Department of the Province have issued a proclamation to all the native Customs and Likin Stations to collect the newly pro- -posed duty from the 1st. day of the 4th. moon. We enclose a copy of the above paper for your information.

While China is imposing restriction after restrict- -ion on the trade in Indian opium, she is now allowing native opium to be exported from one province to another. Is this the measure of China's earnestness to suppress the opium habit? Her insincerity is too apparent to need any comment, and her action can only be described as scandalous. We cannot believe that His Majesty's Government, from whom we have every right to expect the fullest protection, will allow the present intolerable state of

affairs to continue.

We shall thank you to draw the attention of the British Minister and Home Authorities to the above and to kindly impress upon them the fact that while the British Government confesses itself unable to give British merchants the protection of the treaties, the Indian Government, the sellers of the opium, refuse to take even temporary measures to relieve the present

grave situation.

We have etc.,

(Sd.) E. Shellim,

Manager,

David Sassoon & Co., id.

}