CO129-406 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 191

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The Ministry have the honour to observe that on past occasions when a request has been made for the prohibition of import of Indian opium (into a certain_province), on the majority of occasions, no joint investigation was made, but his Excellency consented nevertheless to place the name of the province on the list of those into which import of the drug was prohibited. On the present occasion Chekiang has prohibited the drug and absolutely cleared herself thereof; even though no delegate is despatched to make enquiries, investigations can be made and knowledge obtained. Moreover, according to the telegram of the tutu, the time for an inspection has not yet passed by, and delegates can even now be sent thither, in order to satisfy the aspirations of the people of Chekiang.

The Wai-chiao Pu have the honour to communicate this information to His Majesty's Minister and trust to receive his reply.

Peking, June 7, 1913.

(Seal of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.)

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Memorandum communicated to Wai-chiao Pu by Mr. Alston.

MR. ALSTON has the honour to acknowledge the Wai-chiao Pu's memorandum of the 7th instant referring to the question of placing Chekiang on the list of provinces into which Indian import should not be conveyed under article 3 of the Opium Agreement of 1911.

Mr. Alston is ready to add to the prohibition list any province which has been able to establish by clear evidence that it has effectively suppressed the cultivation and import of native opium. But the evidence in his possession would not justify him in acceding to the request of the Wai-chiao Pu without fuller and more detailed enquiries which are now being made.

Mr. Alaton has recently received telegraphic information from His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai that the poppy began to bloom in Chekiang early in March this year. Mr. Alston would repeat, therefore, the statement made by His Majesty's Minister in his memorandum of the 29th May, to the effect that the poppy season is over and that it is too late to attempt any inspection of the province this year.

Peking, June 17, 1913.

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

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[32527]

(No. 196.) Sir,

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Alston.

со

29999

[July 16.)

RECO SECTORY 28 AUG 13

Foreign Office, July 16, 1913. I HAVE received your despatch No. 246 of the 11th ultimo, respecting the proposed prohibition of the import of Indian opium into the province of Fukien under article 3 of the Opium Agreement of 1911.

I approve the terms of your note to the Wai-chiao Pu of the 10th June.

[1816 q-1]

I am,

&c.

E. GREY.

Salk

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