CO129-401 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [5-6] — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

0.0

17753

1 26 MAY

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 3rd. May, 1913.

42

I have the honour to suggest that steps be taken as soon as possible to induce the French Government to regulate more strictly the traffic in opium in Kwangchauwan.

From the French Consul here I learn the follow-

2.

-ing facts:-

(a). The monopoly for the manufacture and sale of Prepar-

-ed Opium and for the sale of Raw Opium in Kwangchauwan was leased

for 2 years from the lat. of January, 1912. It expires on 31st.

December, 1913.

BYLIYEKU.

(b). The annual rental of the monopoly is 845,000 per

(c). No limit is fixed of the quantity of opium which the monopolist may import for local consumption and for export.

(d). The resident population of Kwangchauwan is about 220,000. But the Consul estimates that an equal number of Chinese come and go between Kwangchauwan and Chinese territory in the

course of the year.

(e). The number of chests of Indian Opium imported into Kwangchauwan during 1912 was 570. I have no means of checking this figure as raw opium is no longer exported from Hongkong to the French Possession. I have not the figures for Persian opium of which I understand there is some importation also.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

(1).

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