[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM,
CONFIDENTIAL.
May 5.]
SECTION 2.
[20631]
(No. 161.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 5.)
IN reference to my despatch No. 145 of the 10th instant, I have the honour to
Peking, April 18, 1913. state that General L. Chang, chairman of the National Opium Conference held at Peking in March last will proceed to London on the 25th instant for the purpose, it is stated, of assisting to persuade the British Government to suspend permanently the export of Indian opium, and to discuss the question of the stocks now at Shanghai and Hongkong. He will take take with him Dr. Wenhamn, an Englishman, of the Union Medical College at Peking,
64
He
Dr. Wenham had an interview recently with a member of the Legation staff. stated that he was accompanying General Chang, who spoke English imperfectly, as interpreter and general adviser. The latter was described as a man of 32 years of age who had been in Japan and was now a military secretary in the president's office. General Chang does not appear to be a man of any prominence, and the title of general" has been distributed without much discrimination during the past year. He was formerly secretary of the National Anti-opium Society and is looked upon as an energetic leader in the anti-opium campaign; he is said to be a Christian. According to Dr. Wenham, he will not carry official credentials but will be the bearer of formal letters of introduction and sympathy from Yuan Shih-kai, Sun Yat Sen, and the leaders of the political parties.
In my despatch No. 145 mention was made of an uppeal to the world" with the object of opening subscription liats to buy out the existing stocks of Indian opium in China. Di. Wenhamn in conversation deprecated the issue of this appeal which had been the work of Mr. Thwing, an American citizen. The former appeared to believe that the appeal would be fruitless.
At the moment the problem of the unsold stocks of Indian opium at Shanghai and Hong Kong promises to solve itself within the next two years, or even earlier, provided no untoward circumstances intervene.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
P.S. Since this despatch was written an inspired article, copy of which is enclosed herewith, has appeared in the " Peking Daily News" on the subject of General Chang's mission to England.
J. N. J.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Extract from the "Peking Daily News" of April 21, 1913.
A MISSION TO ENGLAND.
WE attach no little importance to the approaching mission to Great Britain of Lieutenant General L. Chang, chairman of the National Opium Prohibition Union, and one of the President's military advisers. In diplomatic parlance his mission is unofficial, but as it is being carried out at the instance of a representative anti-opium body which has been formally recognised by the Government, and as, moreover, General Chang's expenses are being paid by the provincial Tutuhs, who fully sympathise with his object, it is as official as any unofficial mission can be. General Chang's object is to acquaint British public men with China's views on the opium question in the hope that when they are appreciated all existing opium treaties and agreements, so far as they provide for the importation of Indian opium into China, will be abrogated. He will be accompanied by Dr. Wenham, of the Union Medical College, who has been granted
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