CO129-426 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 567

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It is likely that Chinese public opinion, which is absorbed in the pending Sino- Japanese question, will not accord the same close attention as in 1913 to the establishment of an official opium monopoly, but it seemed to me that the scheme of the Finance Minister had not been carefully thought out, and had been hastily conceived with the sole idea of opening up a new source of revenue.

(Copy to India.)

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

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