This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
554 A
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[26872]
No. 1.
SE O AUG 12 [June 24.]
SECTION 4.
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.--(Received June 24.)
India Office, June 22, 1912. WITH reference to the telegram from Sir J. Jordan, dated the 5th June, copy of which was forwarded to this Office on the 6th June, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India to forward a copy of a telegram from the Government of India on the subject of the alleged export from India to Shanghai of certain chests of prepared opium.
Enclosure in No. 1.
I am, &c.
R. RITCHIE.
Government of India to the Marquess of Crewce.
June 17, 1912. (Telegraphic.)
MY telegram dated the 6th June. Of Malwa opium purchased for export to China, it is usual to test certain samples by boiling and filtering. It is usual to test one ball for every two chests; residue remaining after boiling and filtration is known as touch opium. Exporters, in order to complete shipments under priority system, and to minimise losses from dryage and shortage, exported in February last 4 chests of touch opium as part of permissible export for current year. Reference to prepared opium in telegram from British Minister at Peking of the 5th June is to these chests. We do not consider that there has been violation of opium agreement, as touch opium is not specially prepared, and consists of remnants which arise in ordinary course of buying and selling. Merchants must test before export to obtain some idea of qualities of opium. We are considering the possibility of disposing of these remnants otherwise than by exporting, and will report further. We presume that the 44 chests of opium in question have been released.
(Telegram repeated to British Minister at Peking.)
[2519 aa-
11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.