[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL
[163260]
34807
REC
REA 24 JUL No. 1.
429
[November 3.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Board of Trade to Foreign Office.—(Received November 3.)
Board of Trade, November 2, 1915. I AM directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt of the 6th October, respecting the contraband opium traffic between the United Kingdom
letter of
and China.
your
In reply I am to enclose copy of letters which have been addressed to the two steamship lines concerned and to the two principal shipowners' associations,
With regard to the specific case of the steamship "Peleus," I am to transmit herewith, for Sir E. Grey's information, copy of a report dated the 22nd October by the Board's surveyor at Liverpool, relative to the movable plate giving access to the bunkers, and to the construction of the cache in which the opium was concealed.
The Board desire me to suggest that possibly some restriction on the sale of opium in the United Kingdom might assist in dealing with the difficulty, but this is a matter of course which does not come within their province.
ERNEST G. MOGGRIDGE.
I am, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Gentlemen,
Board of Trade to Messrs. Holt and Co.
Board of Trade, November 2, 1915. I AM directed by the Board of Trade to inform you that their attention has been drawn by the Foreign Office to the seizure of opium on your steamship "Peleus" at Shanghai in June last, and the consequent action of the Chinese Maritime Customs authorities.
His Majesty's Minister at Peking and His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai agree that the Commissioner of Customs was acting within his rights in offering the alternative of a payment of 3,000 taels, or the withdrawal of certain extra-treaty privileges enjoyed by your vessels at the port in question, and the Board are of opinion that there are no grounds on which representations against his action could properly be based.
According to reports which the Board have received, the illicit smuggling of opium into China has attained formidable dimensions, and unless adequate steps are taken to prevent members of crews from secreting opium on ships trading to Chinese ports, very serious disabilities may result to those ships, even to the extent of the ships being forbidden to return to the ports,
The Board do not doubt that the question has been carefully considered by your company from time to time, and they would be glad to learn the result of such consideration. At the same time they think it right to impress upon you the extreme desirability of making every effort to prevent Chinese crews from bringing opium on to your ships.
I am, &c.
Gentlemen,
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Board of Trade to Messrs. Thomson and Co.
Board of Trade, November 2, 1915.
I AM directed by the Board of Trade to state that their attention has been called
to cases in which members of the crews of vessels belonging to your line have been detected in attempting to smuggle opium into China,
The Board are advised that a ship may be held liable for such offences against Chinese customs law, and that it is open to the Commissioner of Chinese Customs when
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