CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 70

(38081/12).

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ready to admit. Mr. Wingfield states, in fact in his des-

patch No. 152 of the 6th. instant, that Colonel Freire

d'Andrade has suggested privately that Macao should receive

the same number of chests as Hongkong without that colony

being able to increase its present number, regardless of the

fact that the Chinese population of the latter is six times

that of the former. He also implies that Hongkong desires

to benefit at Macao's expense.

Nacao claims that she needs a large quantity of opium

for export to Mexico and Panama. Both these countries have

now signed the Opium Convention of January 23rd. last, so it

may be hoped that they will take steps to prohibit or

restrict the importation of prepared opium, in accordance

with Article 7. The effect of such measures would be that

the requirements of Macao would be considerably lessened.

A copy of your letter under reply is being sent to His

Majesty's Legation, and will, no doubt, assist Mr. Wingfield

in any further conversations which he may hold with Colonel

d'Andrade