CO129-427 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 634

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leopy 1. (156570)

C.O.

49778

Alfred Holt and Company,

623

REC India Building OCT 15

Vater Street,

Liverpool.

22nd Lctober 1915,

A

Sir:

We desire to draw your attention to the question

of sauggìing opium into Chins, and enclose extr:cts of letters from our agents in Cine in res ect to this matter.

It is almost impossible for us to stop this smugling as the very lax regulations with regard to opium in this a try place enormous difficulties in the way of preventing oșium from being taken on board our abipe in

Birkenhead and otherloading ports,

He would submit that the attention of His Majesty's | Government should be given to the conduct of the authorities in Chins, who are threatening (and in some cases inflicting)| severe fines on the steamer from which the smuggli

takes

place and only inflicting mild penalties on the real

smugglers. In addition to this they have in aose DEBCO

given large rewards to the people on board the ship who have, detected smuggling & most dangerous practice when

accompanied by mild treatment of the actual offender.

Je remain 40,,

(Signed) Alfred Holt and Company.

The Under Secretary of State,

Foreign uffics,

London,