CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 421

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

C.O

15073

OPIUM,

CONFIDEN ITAL.

[10884]

No. 1

(Api P MAY 15

SECTION 1.

L

Sir,

Foreign Office to India Office.

Foreign Office, April 1, 1913.

I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th ultimo respecting the letter from the China Association of the 3rd February on the subject of opium stocks in China.

Sir E. Grey shares Lord Crewe's view that the statement contained in the penultimate paragraph of the Association's letter as to the liability of the Government of India should be met by an explicit repudiatiou, but he would point out that, in the paragraph referred to, His Majesty's Government is coupled with the Government of India, and that if liability is repudiated for the latter it must also be repudiated for the former.

The arguments contained in your letter which Lord Crewe suggests should be used in replying to the Association apply to the Government of India, but would hardly seem to apply to His Majesty's Government as well.

In these circumstances, Sir E. Grey would propose in writing to the Association merely to inform them that neither His Majesty's Government nor the Government of India can accept their views as to the liability of these Governments.

*

The draft of a letter to the Association is enclosed herewith, and I am to enquire whether in the light of the foregoing remarks Lord Crewe concurs in its terms.

I am, &c.

W. LANGLEY.

Draft of letter to China Association, 1913.

(2879 a-1]

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