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3. The clauses given in italics had, however, been the subject of objection by other Powers. His Majesty's Government could not admit the discussion of clauses (k), (1), (m), and (n). The French Government likewise objected to (1) and (m), and reserved their opinion about (a), while also objecting to (i); and the Russian Government objected to (f). On the other hand, the British Government laid down as a condition of their participation in the conference that it should also deal with the question of stringent restrictions on the manufacture and trade in morphine and cocaine, and this condition was accepted by the other participating Powers.
The Italian Government, again, suggested that the conference might advantageously deal with drugs produced from the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa or indica).
4. Our instructions, communicated to us in your despatch of the 29th November, 1911, emphasised the fact that Ilis Majesty's Government held it essential that "the conference should thoroughly and completely deal with the question of restricting the This, indeed," you added, manufacture, sale, and distribution of morphin and cocaine."
"is a subject to which His Majesty's Government attach especial importance in view of the spread of the morphia and cocaine habit in India, in China, and in other Eastern countries. Indian and Chinese experience shows that legislation against the importation of morphia and cocaine must fail to be thoroughly effective owing to the ease with which it can be evaded in practice, and consequently suggests the desirability of co-operation on the part of the houe and foreign Governments in the shape of control over manufacture and distribution." We were therefore to use our best efforts to secure the assistance of the Governments represented at the conference towards obtaining this end."
5. Our instructions went on to indicate the various points (specified above) in the original American tentative programme for the conference to which His Majesty's Government had taken exception and which therefore they were not prepared to discuss. We were further told that the following matters should also be considered as excluded from treatment by the conference
(1.) The arrangements made between His Majesty's Government and China respecting the progressive restriction of the importation and production of opium in
China.
(2.) All other existing treaties between the two countries.
(3.) Any resolution specifically affecting the domestic regulation of the production and use of opium and cognate questions of internal administration in India or any portion of the British dominions.
We were, therefore, to refuse to discuss these subjects, although not precluded from communicating to the conference, if desired, any information in regard to systems of regulation in India or the colonies that might be of assistance in its labours.
6. In accordance with this last proviso, Sir William Meyer submitted to the conference a paper dealing with the measures taken by the Indian Government to and a second paper proper, control and restrict the consumption of raw opium in India treating of the policy adopted in Burmah, where the usual method of consumption is the smoking of prepared opium. This latter memorandum also referred to the measures Ar a taken by the Indian Government against the smoking habit in the rest of India. later stage a memorandum was likewise put in showing the methods taken in British colonies, mainly those in the Far East, to restrict the consumption of opium, morphine, and cocaine. These memoranda are included in Vol. II of the conference procecilings, but as we shall have occasion to refer to them occasionally, we appeud copies of thei (Appendices I to III).
We may add that we were furnished with a copy of the Government of India's clear and exhaustive expression of their actions, difficulties, and wishes in regard to opium, morphine, and cocaine, as set forth in their despatch No. 285 of the 23rd November, 1911, to the Secretary of State for India, and that this document proved of great value and assistance to us.
7. In your despatch of the 11th December, 1911 [49099), we received supple- mentary suggestions as to the measures which His Majesty's Government thought it desirable that we should suggest to the conference in the matter of restricting the manufacture of, and trade in, morphia and cocaine, and these will be referred to
later on.
8. The conference assembled on the 1st December, 1911 (first session), and, after a speech of welcome from his Excellency M. de Marees van Swinderen, the Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was subsequently elected honorary president of the
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conference, Bishop Brent, the leader of the American delegation, was unanimously elected to the actual presidency-on the proposal of M. Cremer, the first delegate for the Netherlands, supported by Sir Cecil Clementi Smith and M. von Müller, the first delegate for Germany-and delivered an eloquent inaugural address.
The natural selection for the presidency would have been M. Cremer, as senior member of the delegation of the country in which we were meeting; but as he expressed himself unwilling to accept this post, the choice of Bishop Brent, as representing the country on whose initiative the conference had been called, was inevitable. The result was, however, unfortunate in that it threw the leadership of the American delegation into the hands of Dr. Hamilton Wright, who is singularly wanting in those qualities of clear-mindedness, moderation, and respect for the ideas of others which are essential for success in an international gathering of this kind. Under Dr. Wright's leadership the American delegation was responsible for a number of useless and irritating proposals, and entirely lost the position of special advantage which it might have enjoyed as representing the Power on whose initiative the conference had come together.
9. The second session (4th December) was occupied by the framing of rules of procedure and the constitution of committees, viz :---
(a.) A Programme Committee, consisting of one member from each delegation, which was to prepare and submit to the conference a programme of work, based on the original draft programme of the American Government as modified by the objections made in This programme was also to deal with the supple- respect thereto by other Powers. mentary proposals made by Great Britain on the subject of morphine and cocaine, and by Italy in regard to hemp drugs. It was further decided that any additional matter on which the conference might later embark should likewise be a subject of preliminary examination by the programme committee. This committee was presided over by M. Cremer (Netherlands), and Mr. Max Müller was the representative of the British delegation.
(b) A. Drafting Committee ("Comité de Rédaction"), consisting of five (afterwards six) members, and presided over, first by M. Guesde of the French delegation and later on, when M. Guesde had to return to Paris, by his colleague, M. Brenier, Sir William Collins was a member of this committee, which also included representatives of Germany, Holland, and Russia, and subsequently of the United States.
The original reference to this committee was to draft into proper conventional form the resolutions passed by the conference, but later on, as will be seen, its functions were considerably enlarged.
(c) A press committee, consisting of three members, whose duty it was to decide what information should be communicated to the press, it having been resolved that the meetings of the conference should be private.
(d) A fourth committee, the Technical Committee, though never formally con- stituted, also assumed shape, and eventually definite recognition. It consisted of the medical and scientific members of the various delegations under the presidency of Sir William Collins.
10. It was also definitely decided at this session that, while French must as usual be the official language of the conference, each delegate might speak in his own language, and that translations of French documents might be furnished to those delegates who desired it. As a matter of fact, owing to the large number of delegates who understood English better than French, most of the speechies were made in English, even the French and German delegates frequently repeating in English what they had already said in French, and there was likewise an English summary of the proceedings, though it was always understood that the French text was the only authoritative one, and We feel it only that the English version was a summary rather than a translation. right to take this opportunity of placing on record our sense of the courtesy and consideration with which the other delegations accepted the situation.
11. At the third session (7th December: a warning note was sounded by the French and Portuguese delegations in regard to the difficulties that might arise owing to the small number of countries represented at the conference, and the danger of outside Powers deriving profit from the self-denying ordinances which the participating Powers might impose upon themselves in regard to trade in opium, &c.; and it may be mentioned here that at the fourth session a resolution was carried, on the proposal of the Persian delegate, that all the conclusions arrived at by the conference should be presented to outside Powers with a view to their co operation being obtained. Ultimately (as will
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