CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 409

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16.

Sir,

Home Office,

Whitehall.

7th April, 1923.

407

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Bridgeman to

refer to previous aemi-official correspondence on the

subject of the carriage of opium by British ships from

ports in the Persian Gulf, and to say, for the information

of the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, that he understands

that powers could be taken to regulate this traffic

by King's Regulations under Article 55 of the Persian

Courts and Islands Order-in-Council, 1907. It appears

to Mr. Bridgeman that an effective check could be

placed on the conduct of illicit traffic in British

ships if Regulations were made to empower the consuler

officers at ports in the Persian Gulf, before granting

clearance from the port to a British ship with opium

on board, to require the Master of the ship (1) to make

an affidavit stating the real destination of the opium;

(2) in the case of exports to countries who have adopted

the importation certificate system recommended by the

League of Nations or entered into a similar agreement

with His Majesty's Government, to produce a certificate

of the Government of the country of destination,

authorising the importation of the opium; and (3) to

enter into a bond for the delivery of the opium at that

destination,

The condition (2) should not be applied in the

der Secretary of State, KEIGN OFFICE.

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