CO129-471 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 510

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I therefore have the honour to inform your Excellency that I propose to prohibit the importation of Indian opium into Chekiang province as from the 16th June, 1914.

I further have the honour to inform your Excellency that, in view of the fact that reports from the province of Honan show that effective suppression has been carried on in that province and that the absence of poppy cultivation continues, I propose to add the province of Honan to the list of provinces into which importation of Indian opium is prohibited as from the 18th June, 1914.

I avail, &c.

Sir,

No. 18.

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 25.)

Peking, April 28, 1915. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copies of correspondence which has passed between myself and the Wai-chiao Pu regarding the inspection of Kiangsi with a view to the prohibition of the import of Indian opium into that province. It will be seen that I have been obliged to refuse to accede to the application made by Kiangsi. Year after year this province has either made its application at a time when it was impossible to conduct any effective inspection, or has withdrawn its application when the time for inspection approached. This year I repeatedly warned the Chinese Government against allowing a repetition of these tactics, and I am informed that this warning was duly communicated to the Provincial Govern- ment. In spite of this, the application for inspection of Kiangsi did not reach me until a fortnight after the time the investigation should have commenced, and it would have required at least another fortnight to make the necessary arrangements. In the circumstances, I had no option but to decline to proceed with the examination,

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir,

Enclosure 1 in No. 18.

Wai-chiao Pu to Sir J. Jordan,

Peking, April 14, 1915.

I HAVE received a telegram from the Governor of Kiangsi, stating that the cultivation of the opium poppy in Kiangsi province has long ago been prohibited, and that according to the reports of men who have made investigations it has completely ceased. He adds that in the past the poppy has been in flower during the months of April and May, and requests that arrangements be made with your Excellency for the fixing of a time for joint investigation.

I have the honour to observe that your Excellency agreed last spring to the appointment of deputies for the joint investigation of opium in Kiangsi. Subse quently, owing to the disturbed condition of the province, the authorities telegraphically requested a postponement, a note was addressed to your Excellency, and your consent to the postponemnt granted.

In view of the above telegram now received from the Kiangsi Governor, I have the honour to inform you officially, and trust that you will at once appoint an official. communicate his name to this Ministry, and fix a date for him to proceed to Kiangsi for joint investigation.

Sir,

Awaiting the favour of your Excellency's reply.

I avail, &c.

Enclosure 2 in No. 18.

(Seal of the Wai-chiao Pu.)

Sir J. Jordan to Wai-chiao Pu.

Peking, April 16, 1915. WITH reference to your Excellency's note of the 14th instant, requesting me to appoint an official for the joint investigation of the province of Kiangsi, with a view to the prohibition of the import of Indian opium into that province, I have

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the honour to point out that I have repeatedly during the past few months warned the Wai-chiao Pu of the necessity for making application for the joint investigation of provinces in good time, in order to enable the necessary arrangements to be made. The poppy flowers in Kiangsi at approximately the same date as in Hunan, and the joint investigation of Hunan last year commenced at the beginning of April, The first application for the prohibition of Indian opium into Kiangsi was made in a memorandum from the Wai-chiao Pu, dated the 3rd July, 1918, which stated that the poppy plants were grown up in March, and in the reply from this Legation, dated the 16th July, 1913, it was pointed out that the application was too late to allow of any inspection in that year.

The following year application for joint investigation was made on the 15th January, 1914, and was at once agreed to by me, but the inspection was postponed at the request of the provincial authorities.

In spite of this the province has again this year delayed its application until it is now too late to carry out an inspection, and I accordingly greatly regret that I am unable to agree to a joint investigation of Kiangsi this year.

Sir,

No. 19.

I avail, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 8.)

Peking, May 3, 1915. I HAVE the honour to report that the Chinese Government have applied for a joint inspection of opium poppy cultivation in the province of Kansu and the New Dominion (Hsinchiang).

I have accordingly appointed Mr. Teichman, second assistant in His Majesty's consular service, to undertake the joint inspection of opium poppy cultivation in Kansu in concert with an official deputed by the Wai-chiao Pu.

I have the honour to enclose copies of the notes exchanged with the Wai-chiao Pu regarding the closing of Hsinchiang to the import of Indian opium and the joint inspection of poppy cultivation in Kansu, and trust that my action in this matter will meet with your approval.

Enclosure 1 in No. 19.

Wai-chiao Pu to Sir J. Jordan.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

(Translation.) Sir,

Peking, March 8, 1915. WITH reference to the joint inspection by British and Chinese officials of opium cultivation in the various provinces, your Excellency is aware that last year a number of provinces were inspected in accordance with treaty, and the import of Indian opium into these provinces prohibited.

This Ministry recently telegraphed to the various provinces the import of opium into which has not been prohibited to make preparations for the joint inspection of opium cultivation during the present year, and furthermore instructed the more distant provinces to report at an early date with regard to the clearing of their respective districts of opium cultivation, in order to enable preparations to be made for sending officials to these places, and I am now in receipt of telegraphic requests from the two provinces of Kansu and Hsinchiang for joint inspection in accordance with treaty.

I have the honour to observe that in these two provinces the poppy is in flower during approximately the fifth and sixth lunar months (13th June to the 10th August), but owing to their remoteness it is very desirable that the question of how officials for joint investigation can be provided should be taken into consideration beforehand.

As soon as the other provinces apply by telegraph for joint investigation a

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