[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[35321]
No. 1.
[August 21..
SECTION 1.
C.
Consul Carlisle to Sir Edward Grey.— (Received August 21.) (No. 2. Confidential.) Sir,
Saigon, July 20, 1912. WITH reference to my despatch No. 1 of the 16th June last, I have now the honour to inform you that I learn on good authority that the Indo-Chinese Government have found that, in consequence of the proportion of morphine in the opium imported from Yünuan being below their standard and of the prices which they have to pay for the Yunnan opium, it is more advantageous for them to buy opium from ludia. They seen, therefore, to have renounced the idea of purchasing Yunnan opium. They are also said to have stated to persons locally interested in the trade that they do not expect to make any purchases of opium until the end of the year, but are willing to receive monthly offers in case they should find it advisable to do so.
I am not versed in the technicalities of the opium trade, but it appears to me surprising that they should now discover an inferiority in the composition of Yunnan opium, which they have been handling for years. Unless a new system of preparation has been adopted in Yunnan, the idea suggests itself that possibly the reason alleged is an excuse to withdraw from a proposed transaction which appeared to be otherwise objectionable.
[2604 x)
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I have, &c.
T. FI. CARLISLE.
99
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