CO129-432 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [3-5] — Page 374

k

COPY

No. 2422/1916.

"

Sir,

Enclosure

Reco

370

22798

REG 15 MAY 16

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Hongkong,

29th March, 1916.

I am directed to state that on the 2nd March

the S.S. Asia Maru" arrived in Hongkong from Calcutta having on board 170 chests of Benares opium consigned to

Mexico.

2.

This Government has received reliable inform-

ation that arrangments had been made in Canton where a semi official opium monopoly has been inaugurated by the Authorities to smuggle this opium into China; and the Consul General for Japan has reported that the Japanese Master of the "Asia Maru" was asked by the manager of the Bank of Canton, a Chinese Bank, to deliver the opium to a Chinese gunboat off Swatow or in the alternative to discharge it at

Whampoa and to take dummy opium in its place.

3.

The 170 chests were landed in Hongkong by

order of this Government, and they were sent back to Calcutte

on board the S.S. "Sui Sang" which sailed on the 21st March, 1916. I telegraphed to you on the 28th instant as follows:- "Steamship "Sui Sang" left Hongkong 21st March carrying

170 chests of opium returned to Calcutta by order of

this Government there is strong evidence of intention

to smuggle to China".

The Secretary to the Government of India,

Home Department,

DELHI.

4.