CO129-406 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 202

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Сору

N6 97.

201

LISBON.

36900

August 1, 1913! | AUG 193

sir,

30257

!

SEP 13

With reference to your despatch No 6 Treaty of the 14th of June last and to previous correspondence respect- ing the opium trade of kacao, I have the honour to report that, according to the Lisbon press, the Lacao Opium kọ- nopoly was put up to auction on the 14th ultimo and se~ cured for five years from the present month by a bid of 1,056,606 patacas (about 295,094), being more than seven times the amount of the rent (148,750 patacas) previously paid for it.

You will perhaps recollect in this connection that the Portuguese Government (see enclosure 2 in my despatch No 130 of the 2nd of September 1912) adduced, as a proof of the absence of smuggling from Kacao, that they were only receiving 148,750 patacas (L13,387) as against 1,200,000 (£108,000) paid by the opium farmer in Hongkong.

There has been little comment in the press on thes

surprising change in price.

I have the honour to be, with the highest respect,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,

iny Charles

Charles Wingfield

The Right Honble

Sir Edward Grey, Bart., x.û.

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