+
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]*
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
245
[January 31.1
SECTION 1.
[6846]
No. 1.
Memorandum communicated to M. de Fonseca, January 31, 1913.
WITII regard to the amount of opium which the Macao farmer should be permitted by the Macao Government to procure for the purpose of export, the following points should be considered in coming to a decision.
From information received from the British Minister in Mexico, as set out in the attached telegram, the amount of prepared opium which is required for legitimate use in that country is 6,180 kilog, or about the produce of 163 cheats of raw opium a-year (allowing 1,000 taels to a chest).
The amount required for Panamá has been stated by Senhor de Fonseca to be about 18,000 taels a-year, or the produce of 18 chests on the same basis.
fa further 19 chests are allowed for other countries which permit the import of prepared opium, the total requirements are thus 200 chests a-year.
It is reasonable to anticipate that Hong Kong will retain a share in the trade with Mexico, and it would therefore appear that the Government of Macao might properly fix 120 chests a-year as the maximum amount required for export purposes. This is the same amount as the Hong Kong farmer will be allowed under the new contract, which dates from the 1st March, 1913. The total of the two colonies' export would therefore be 240 chests, which is well above the requirements of the opium importing countries as shown above.
is further understood that the Government of Macao will be prepared to make regulations similar to those contemplated by the Government of Hong Kong, whereby no export of prepared opium will be permitted without the production of a certificate from the importing country that the opium is required for legitimate purposes. These regulations will control the export efficiently and will make it practically impossible for any snuggling to take place into China.
the Government of Macao will adopt, in respect of its imports of opium, the limit of 120 chests for export purposes and the regulations indicated above, it will still be open to them, should it appear from the certificates received from importing count that there is a legitimate demand in those countries for prepared opium from Macao in excess of the yield of 120 chests of raw opium, to increase the limit of import into Macao to the amount of such excess, although no increase over 120 chests would be allowed in Hong Kong.
Senhor de Fonseca appeared to think that this arrangement would not be possible in arranging a new farm contract, but there would be no difficulty in drawing up a contract allowing 260 chests for local consumption and a maximum of 120 chests for export with an additional stipulation that should it subsequently appear from the certificates received that the requirements of the importing countries exceeded 120 chests, the farmer would be allowed on payment of a certain sum per chest to export a larger amount. It is very unlikely from the figures supplied from Mexico that such a contingency would arise, but in order to meet the views of the Government of Muca provision might be made in the contract which is to come into force on the 1st July to meet it.
January 31, 1913.
Annex.
Mr. Stronge to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 23.)
(Telegraphic,) R.
(No. 7.)
MY telegram No. 2.
Mexico, January 22, 1913.
Medican Government states that legal consumption of opium may be approximately estimated at 6,180 kilog, annually.
Minister for Foreign Affairs informs me this may be taken as the annual requirements of Mexico.
[2766 hh-1]
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.