CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 438

■ 1011/10/10.

2

In general, it may be said that the Department's policy is not to allow any consignments of opium, opium alkaloids or cocaine to be exported from the United Kingdom until the Department is in possession of evidence that the consignment is required in the country of destination for medical or scientific purposes only. This policy is, however, only strictly applied in cases in which abnormal shipments rather tend to show that illicit trade is taking place, as, in the interests of British trade, it is considered desirable that no extensive restrictive measures over cocaine, opium and morphia exports should be brought into force by this country until other Contracting Powers under the Opium Convention take similar steps.

A return recently compiled by this Department for the information of the India Office and the Home Office showing the quantities of morphia licensed by this Department during the years 1915-19 for export to Japan, China, United States of America and Canada is given below. The British restrictions on the export of morphia to Japan were imposed in October 1917, and the return shows very clearly how from that date British exports of morphia to Japan fell off, whilst at the same time exports of morphia to the United States of America gradually increased.

Year.

Japan.

MORPHIA.

B17.

PORTION OFFICE 435

6.7.1.

March 23rd 1921.

I am directed by Karl Curzon of Kedleston

to speloan, herewith, copy of an article from the

*Japan Weekly Chronicle" of January 27th, 1981, entitled

"Morphia and Humbug", to which Hâs Lordship'■

attention has been drawn.

Chinu.

United States of America

Canada.

2.

Uz.

Oz.

Üz.

Üz.

1915

$95,880

H

524

1916

880,929

2.208

2,210 21,165

1917

549,734

624

29,712

15,487

1918

36,480

49

57,904

22,462

1919 to August 31

5,026

1,276

158,416

11,589

While this strongly-worded article is, in the

main, an indictment of Japan as the channel for the

introduction into China of morphia, cocaine and heroin

in quantities greatly in excess of possible legi táms to

requirements for bond fide medicinal purposes,

allegations are also made that Great Britain and America

continue to share the profit derived from this sefarious

traffic.

The latest official figures, in the passession

of this office, of the quantities of morphis exparted

from this country are those given in the Vemorandum

enclosed in the Board of Trade letter of October 6th

1919. These shoved very clearly the marked falling

eff in the exports to Japan as the result of the

restrictions imposed in October, 1917; though that

decrease was set off to a certain extent by a

simultaneous increase in the exparte to the United

le Becretary

to the Board of Trade,

States