CO129-417 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 113

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

110

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[25771]

No. 1.

C.O.

27449

[June 9.]

REC

Reg 28 JUL 14 SECTION 1.

(No. 210.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 9.)

Peking, May 25, 1914. WITH reference to my despatch No. 20 of the 17th January last, I have the honour to report that the investigation of the province of Chekiang for opium poppy cultivation in accordance with the provisions of the Opium Agreement of May 1911 has been completed, and that the investigation has failed to discover any poppy cultivation.

I have the honour to enclose herewith copy of a report by Mr. Consul J. L. Smith on the trip of investigation.

The inspection having thus proved satisfactory, I am notifying the Chinese Govern- ment in a letter, copy of which is enclosed herewith, that the importation of Indian opium into the province of Chekiang will be prohibited as from the 16th June, 1914.

In my despatch No. 457 of the 8th December last I had the honour to report my refusal to accede to the request of the Chinese Government that Honan should be placed on the prohibited list. The reason for this refusal was not on account of any cultiva- tion of opium poppy within the province, but on account of the importation of native opium into the province.

Recent reports testify to the effective employment of suppressive measures in Honan, and the absence of poppy cultivation in the province is maintained. I have therefore decided that it is unnecessary to hold a special investigation of the province of Honan, and I have accordingly conveyed to the Wai-chiao Pu my assent to its inclusion in the list of provinces into which the import of Indian opium is prohibited, the prohibition, as in the case of Chakiang, to date from the 16th June next.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN..

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

Consul Smith to Sir J. Jordan.

Hangchow, May 10, 1914.

(No. 15.) Sir,

I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a report on the journey which you instructed me to take in your despatch No. 6 of the 19th March, for the purpose of investigating into the cultivation of the opium poppy in this province (Chekiang).

A map showing roughly the route followed accompanies the report *

I have, &c.

J. L. SMITH.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Report on Opium Inspection Journey in Chekiang during April and May 1914.

THE opium inspection party consisted of Messrs. Yen Ho ling, Heu Te pen, deputies representing the Central Government; Hsu Wei san, head of the Opium Eradication Bureau at Hangchow, appointed by the Civil Governor of Chekiang; and myself. Mr. Hau Wei san brought with him a staff of two clerks, an interpreter, and several other people. In addition, the magistrate in whose jurisdiction we might happen to be usually met and escorted us through his district, accompanied not infrequently by local police and opium officials. Numerous soldiers and police, varying from fifteen or twenty to on one occasion at least 100, also accompanied us at different stages of the journey; in addition were a large number of chair-bearers and carriers.

[2183 i-1]

* Not reproduced.

B