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against foreign opium in order to secure the market for
opium grown in British Territories, and stated that the
British Government, in its action in these matters, WES
in no way influenced by any commercial considerations, and
that I was prepared, if that would facilitate a settlement,
to embody that assurance in some formal stipulation,not
necessarily in the form of an article in the Convention.
A good deal of the discussion in private on the form which
the article on export and trans-shipment should take
turned on the insertion of words to meet this point.
It was very difficult to arrive at any form of words which
would meet Japanese susceptibilities, but I hope we have
done so. The text I propose is now with van Vettun, who
is going to show it to the Japanese, and I hope to hear
in the course of the day that they accept it. I made it
should clear, of course, that I have to refer it home before I
could finally agree it, and they have to do the same.
One point I am not quite sure about, and that is
how the new article will affect Singapore. I have
always understood that Singapore prohibits trans-shipment
of opium except for British destinations or destinations
in Indo-China or Sian. Kaku, however, told me that
trans-shipments frequently take place at Singapore for
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.