File No. 774/150–152.
Chargé Fletcher to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking,December 14,
1907.
No. 795.]Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the Department’s instruction No. 354, of October 14, 1907
(File No. 774), inclosing copies of the replies of the various
governments to the proposal of the Government of the United States to
conduct a joint and impartial investigation of the scientific and
material conditions of the opium trade and opium habit in the Far East,
for transmission to the Chinese foreign office, and directing me to
inquire whether or not the Chinese Government finds it convenient to
suggest a place and time of meeting of the proposed commission.
I inclose copy of my note to the foreign office and of their reply
received to-day informing me that Mr. Liu Yü-lin, Chinese consul-general
in South Africa, has been transferred to Peking for the purpose of
taking up this question, and they will communicate with me further as to
the time and place of meeting of the commission after his arrival at
Peking.
Mr. Liu is at present in Macao in attendance upon his father, who is ill,
and his departure for Peking is dependent upon the state of his parent’s
health.
I shall advise the department by telegraph of the suggested time and
place of meeting when the reply of the foreign office shall have been
received.
The choice of Mr. Liu in this connection seems to be a good one. He was
educated at Amherst, returned to China in the late eighties, has the
rank of expectant taot’ai, and was, before his appointment to South
Africa, connected with the imperial telegraph administration. He speaks
English exceedingly well.
I took occasion when calling at the foreign office yesterday to refer to
this subject and to express the hope that the matter might not be unduly
delayed, and was assured that it would not be.
I have, etc.,
[Page 173]
[Inclosure 1.]
Chargé Fletcher
to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
American Legation,
Peking,November 28,
1907.
No. 331.]Your Imperial Highness: Referring to your
imperial highness’s note to Mr. Rockhill of July 23 last, and to the
previous correspondence which has passed between your imperial
highness’s board and this legation on the subject of the appointment
by the powers, interested of a commission to conduct a joint and
impartial investigation of the scientific and material conditions of
the opium trade and opium habit in the Far East which affect the
possessions and direct interests of those powers in this part of the
world, I have the honor to inclose copies of the replies made by the
various governments concerned to the inquiries of my Government on
this subject.
Your imperial highness will note in this correspondence that all the
various governments accepted the proposal of my Government relating
to this investigation in principle, and expressed a preference for a
joint commission, and that in one instance the reservation was made
that the inquiry cover the production of opium in China, as well as
its importation, and that several of the governments concerned
accepted the proposal only on condition of being assured of the
cooperation of China. Of this cooperation my Government has been
assured by your highness’s note of July 23 last, and I am directed
to convey to your imperial highness the expression of the sincere
gratification of my Government at the acceptance in principle by
your highness’s board of the joint opium commission, and of its
appreciation of China’s friendly interest in the contemplated effort
to suppress the opium evil in the Far East.
It has been suggested that the several governments may prefer to
await the selection of a place and date of meeting before proceeding
to name commissioners, and I have the honor to inquire of your
imperial highness whether or not the Chinese Government finds it
convenient to suggest a time and place of meeting of the proposed
commission.
Trusting that I may be favored with an early reply, I avail,
etc.,
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Chargé Fletcher.
Foreign Office,
Peking,December 13,
1907.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of November 28,
1907, with regard to a joint investigation of the opium question, in
which were inclosed copies (with translations in Chinese) of replies
made by the various governments concerned to the inquiries of your
Government on the subject.
In this letter you state that I will note from the correspondence
that all the various governments accepted the proposal of your
Government relating to the investigation in principle, and expressed
a preference for a joint commission; that in one instance the
reservation was made that the inquiry cover the production of opium
in China, as well as its importation; and that several of the
governments concerned accepted the proposal only on condition of
being assured of the cooperation of China. Having been assured of
China’s assent in principle to the proposal, by my note of July 23,
1907, your Government now directed you to express its sincere
gratification therefor, and its appreciation of China’s friendly
interest in the contemplated effort to suppress the opium evil in
the Far East. In addition to this, moreover, you had been directed
to state that it has been suggested that the several governments
might prefer to await the selection of a place and date of meeting
before proceeding to name commissioners, and to inquire, therefore,
whether or not the Chinese Government found it convenient to suggest
a time and place of meeting of the proposed commission.
In reply, I now have the honor to state that my board has transferred
Mr. Liu Yü-lin, Chinese consul-general in South Africa, to Peking
for the purpose
[Page 174]
of taking
up this question. As to the time and place of meeting, we will
communicate further with you upon this subject as soon as the
above-mentioned official has arrived in the capital.
It becomes my duty in the meantime, however, to send this reply to
your excellency’s note.
A necessary dispatch.
[seal of the waiwu pu.]
