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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
429
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[25856]
No. 1.
C. O.
(June 17.]
PEORIA JUL 12 SECTION 3.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received June 17.)
Downing Street, June 15, 1912. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the consideration of Secretary Sir Edward Grey, with reference to letter from the Colonial Office of the 11th June, copy of a telegram from the Officer administering the Government of Hong Kong on the subject of the heavy fall in the price of certified opium and the advisability of the Government of India discontinuing its sale forthwith.
I am, &c.
JOHN ANDERSON.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Officer administering the Government of Hong Kong to Mr. Harcourt.
(Telegraphic.) P.
[Received Colonial Office, June 11, 1912]
A SERIOUS financial sitnation possibly may arise through the heavy fall in the price of certified opium of 1,700 rupees per chest at the June sales. This is attributed to illegal restrictions in certain provinces on opium trade and to the smuggling of uncertified opium from Macao and Kuang-chow-wan into China. Slight fall only in the price of uncertified opium bears out latter contention. The Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank, Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, and the Chamber of Commerce support Sassoon's request that the Government of India should discontinue forthwith the sale of certified opium [group undecypherable: probably unless] agreement with China can be made effective.
On May prices the present stock of Indian opium bought for China is valued at 12,000,000l. Despatch follows.
(2519 r−3]
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