CO129-395 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 435

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

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[26147]

No. 1.

431

[June 19. 0.

SECTION 1,

COLE JUL 12-

Sir,

India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received June 19.)

India Office, June 18, 1912. WITH reference to my letter dated the 4th June, 1912, and subsequent corre- spondence, on the subject of Messrs. E. D. Sassoon and Company and Messrs. David Sassoon and Company's letter of the 30th May, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, for the information of Sir Edward Grey, telegram in which the Government of India express their opinion on the suggestion that the sales of opium in Calcutta and Bombay should be suspended.

I am to say that, with the concurrence of Sir Edward Grey, the two firmas might be informed that the Government of India, having carefully considered the question in all its bearings, are unable to entertain their request, They point out that the sales are held in accordance with public announcements made at the beginning of the year, and that the Government has undertaken in the published conditions of sale to make no change in the number of chests to be sold in each mouth or in the terms of sale with- out giving three months' notice of its intention. It may be added that, with the exception of one Bengal sale on 24th September, the sales in 1912, of Malwa and Bengal opium for the China market, will be completed within three months from

now.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

I am,

&c.

R. RITCHIE.

The Marquess of Crewe to Government of India.

think

(Telegraphic.) P.

India Office, June 3, 1912. PLEASE reter to your telegram dated 30th May about opium. I quite realise seriousness of situation, and am in communication with the Foreign Office. Sassoons have in the meantime urged through the Foreign Office that, in order that the present tension may

be relieved, Bombay and Calcutta sales should be suspended. Please give this suggestion your consideration, and do what you proper. You can, I under- stand, discontinue sale of certified Pengal opium in any month if you sell an equal additional quantity of uncertified opium. With regard to Malwa opium, I gather that opium merchants are deeply in debt to the Banks and to Government (sce letter from Bombay Government to India, Finance Department, dated 29th February). Please consider whether it would not be wise to stop further sales of Malwa opium until the result of representations to China is known, The situation does not seem to me likely to improve very rapidly.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Government of India to the Marquess of Crewe. (Telegraphic.) P.

June 6, 1912. PLEASE see your telegram dated 3rd June on the subject of opium. We think it expedient to send you the complete text of the memorial from opium merchants, together with our views, having in view the possible pressure which may be brought to bear by parties interested.

Our latest information as to course of events in China is contained in despatch dated 29th April, from British Minister at Peking to Foreign Office. My telegram, dated 25th May, 1910, explains that our being unable to deal with likelihood of mischievous rumours places us in a difficult position. It is in our opinion of the highest importance that up-to-date information should be supplied to us throughout as to the situation in China, and regardling any representations which Jordan may make to the Imperial Government in China, and with regard to renewal of the cultivation of opium, which seems to have been extensive, according to reports in the newspapers aud

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