CO129-510-8 Policy on sale of Opium 12-1-1928 - 24-7-1928 — Page 46

hip

restrict the cultivation of opium in Persia) the

supplies of Persian opium should fall off, the

Fortuguese Authorities would be compelled to

start the cultivation of opium in Timor". This

Colony would, of course, be the first to feel the

repercussion of such action, and prompt steps to

recapture the Hong Kong opium market and to hold

it against smugglers became, therefore, essential.

16. The decision of His Majesty's Government

prevents ze from doing this by refusing me authority

to purchase Persian raw opium for the purpose of

maintaining the grades of prepared opium recently

put on the local market by the liong Kong Government's

Opium Monopoly. This is embarrassing because, on

introducing the new grades, the Superintendent of

Imports and Exports, with my approval, announced -

what was the bare truth

to combat the menace of smuggling. The Chinese are

a logical people and the implication of the

withdrawal, now necessitated, will not be lost

upon them, unless indeed they merely dismiss the

whole matter as a manifestation on the part of

this Government of that disingenuousness which

commonly characterizes announcements on the

subject of opium by the Chinese authorities.

that this step was taken

17. From a careful perusal of your telegrams

conveying to me the decision of His Majesty's

Government it seems to me that there has been a

misconception as to the local situation

serious

17

and

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