C.C.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Governm263
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(43732]
No. 1.
RECE REGO 7 NOV 12 [October IST
SECTION 1.
189
(No. 398.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received October 18.)
Pelving, October 2, 1912. I HAVE the honour to report that on the 18th ultimo I received a telegram from His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai stating that the Tutu of Anhui had issued circular instructions to all district magistrates in that province to issue proclama- tions prohibiting the importation of opium and establishing bureaux for the sale of present stocks, that the Anching li-kin station had detained twenty packages of Indian opium provided with Wuhu customs passes and certificates, and on the 17th September burat seven chests of Malwa opium sent up by native purchasers from Shanghai, and that three of these chests had been forcibly taken from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company's hulk.
On the evidence of a native opium dealer, who was an eyewitness of the proceedings at Anching, Sir E. Fraser again telegraphed on the 19th ultimo that seven chests of Indian opium, covered by customs documents, were forcibly removed from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company's hulk to the yamên of the governor in Anching in the presence of a vast crowd, that soldiers formed a cordon round the opium on à space behind the yamên, and, mixing it with saltpetre, ostensibly burned the whole, and that the hulk-keeper had confirmed what had taken place generally in a telegram to the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company at Shanghai.
I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copies of two memoranda which I addressed to the Wai-chiao Pu on the 20th ultime requesting immediate action to be taken in this case. To these memoranda I have not yet received replies, and on the 30th ultimo I addressed a further memorandum to the Wai-chiao Pu informing them that, under your instructions, I had deputed His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai to proceed to Anching to hold, in conjunction with the Tutu of Anhui, an enquiry into the case, and requested that the latter be instructed by telegraph to afford Sir E. Fraser every facility for and assistance in carrying out the enquiry.
I have the honour to enclose a copy of this memorandum.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN,
dia
no
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Memorandum communicated to Wai-chiao Pu.
HIS Majesty's Minister begs to inform the Wai-chiao Pu that he is in receipt of a telegram from His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai to the effect that the Tutu of Anhui has issued circular instructions to the district magistrates to issue proclamations prohibiting the import of opium and establishing bureaux for the sale of present stocks. So far as Indian opium is concerned these instructions are contrary to the terms of the Opium Agreement of the 8th May, 1911, and are invalid, and Sir John Jordan has to request that immediate telegraphic instructions be sent to the Tutu of Anhui to exclude Indian opium from the orders he has dispatched to the magistrates of his province.
The telegram further states that the Anching li-kin station has detained twenty packages of Indian opium provided by the Wuhu Customs with passes and certificates, and that on the 17th instant that li-kin station burnt seven cases of Malwa opium cousigned from Shanghai, and that three of the seven were forcibly removed from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company's hulk. Sir John Jordan has to demand the immediate release of the Indian opium detained, and to inform the Wai-chiao Pu that a claim will be lodged in due course for the value of, and other losses sustained by the burning of, the Malwa opium at Anching.
Peking, September 20, 1912.
[2660 -1]
led
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.