[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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November 11.)
Rec
SECTION 1.
(REGE 13 DEC 12
No. 1.
Foreign Office to Messrs. E. D. and Messrs. David Sassoon.
Gentlemen,
Foreign Office, November 11, 1912. WITH reference to your letter of the 3rd ultimo, I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to inform you that he has received a further report from His Majesty's Minister at Peking on the subject of the recent anti-opium Bill which was introduced in the National Council.
Sir J. Jordan states that a Bill was introduced on the 15th May last, proposing- complete prohibition of the importation of foreign opium after the 30th June, 1912, and of the sale of such opium after the 31st December, 1912. This Bill was, however, rejected on the ground that the question was not one which could properly be dealt with by the Council at all, but required diplomatic treatment between the British and Chinese Governments.
A second and separate Bill was introduced in the Council on the 27th May. This Bill proposed that the suppression of poppy cultivation and opiuma consumption in China should be absolutely and effectually completed by the end of the present year. The Bill was referred to committee, who, in their report, drew attention to the complaints of His Majesty's Government in regard to the violations of the opium agreement in Chekiang, Kuangping, and other provinces, and recommended that the Chinese Government should issue strict orders for the immediate cessation of poppy cultivation, the destruction of all plants still existing, and for the total suppression of opium smoking after the 30th June, 1913. This date was postponed at the second reading of the Bill until the 31st December of next year. The Bill was, however, finally referred back to committee for revision, and has not since been brought
up again.
As regards the traffic in opium at Macao, to which you also referred in your letter of the 3rd October, I am to state that representations on this subject have been made to the Portuguese Government, which, it is hoped, will lead to a diminution of smuggling from Macao into China.
A letter in the above sense was about to be addressed to you when your further letter of the 18th October was received, in which you forward the text of a telegram from your agents at Shanghai, stating that "the delay in the settlement of opium troubles, which are becoming more accentuated, is causing panic," and requesting to be furnished with information which would reassure those interested in the opium trade in China.
Sir E. Grey presumes that you refer to the recent restrictions on the trade in Indian opium in the province of Kiangsi, and to the destruction of opium at Anking.
With regard to the former matter, I am to state that repeated representations have been made by His Majesty's Minister to the Wai-chiao Pu, with a view to compelling the Tutu of Kiangsi to conform his actions to the treaties and release opium that has been illegally confiscated.
His Majesty's consul at Kiukiang reported in a recent despatch that he had been in communication with your firm in regard to the seizure and confiscation of twenty- five packages of Malwa opium at Ting-nan sien in June. The explanation furnished by the authorities for their conduct was that the dealer had omitted to report the arrival of the opium at its destination, and that he had brought a consigument of arms and ammunition with him up-country, which he had sold on the way. Mr. Giles is awaiting a reply to these charges from your agents before taking further action in the matter, and meanwhile he has been instructed to continue to press every infringement of the opium agreement on the attention of the authorities.
As regards the destruction of Indian opium at Anking, His Majesty's Minister at Peking has been instructed to press for a settlement and demand full compensation for the value of the opium destroyed.
I am, &c.
W. LANGLEY.
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