CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 441

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435

of the Macao Government has been drawn to the matter and an

enquiry is now proceeding which will probably have as abortive

a conclusion as the enquiry in the provious case.

3.

As regards China, even if the Government of India were tc cease entirely the manufacture and sale of opium, and the danger of smuggling of prepared opium from the Indim supply in Macao and Kwang Chau Wan came to an end,

there is the unlimited field of China to be contended with. I

would rofer to Lord Curzon's telegraphic despatch to Sir John Jordan of the 5th April, 1919, copies of which reached me in 32914 Your Lordship's Confidential Despatch of the 10th June. In

So 3291419

that despatch the Indian Government contend with great fair- -ness that the agreement of 1911 connot be regarded as termi- -nated so long as cultivation in China continues, and that such cultivation does continue in full swing is evident from the report in Sir John Jordan's Confidential Despatches of the 30th April, 1919, and the 5th May, 1919. I can see little gain in erulting over the burning of foreign opium in Shanghai while Chinese opium is being freely produced in Shensi. It appears to me idle to attempt suppression in this Colony when such vast opportunities for smuggling the drug from the adjoining territories exist. I regard it as an im- -possible task to provide a preventive service, except at a prohibitive cost, that will effectually stop such importa-

-tion.

4223uf

4.

Your Lordship has asked me in your telegram of the 3rd September for my observations on a proposal made by Sir John Jordan in his despatch of May 19th that it could be publicly announced that it was pro pos- -ed to abolish the monopoly altogether within a definite period. I can only say that for the reasons

have already

given it would be very undesirable to make any such announce-

-ment.