File No. 774/328–330.
Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, August 12,
1908.
No. 979.]
Sir: In further confirmation of my telegram of
to-day informing you that the Chinese Government has accepted the
program of preliminary inquiries of the American delegates to the joint
opium commission, I have the honor to inclose herewith copy in
translation of the note which I received yesterday from the Prince of
Ch’ing infonning me of the said acceptance, and transmitting a copy of
the memorial and imperial edict of May 23 last, which lays down the line
of investigation to be pursued by the Chinese delegates. This memorial
was sent you in my No. 937, of June 8, 1908. I inclose it, however, for
convenient reference.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Minister Rockhill.
Foreign Office,
Peking, August 11,
1908.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s
dispatch of July 25, in which inquiry is made as to whether the
time, place, and program of the Joint International Opium Convention
proposed by the American Government are acceptable to the Chinese
Government.
I have the honor to reply in the affirmative. In regard to the scope
and method of treatment of the opium investigation, I formerly
received your excellency’s dispatch of the 14th of July, in which
was detailed the line of investigation which would be followed by
the American commissioners. This corresponds closely with the line
of investigation arranged by memorial and imperial edict of May 23,
1908. The memorial was made by the boards of the interior and
finance jointly, and embodied the rules for the investigation and
suppression of the use of opium in 23 articles, which have been sent
to all the Provinces to act thereon. The Chinese commissioners
appointed to attend the opium convention will carry on their
investigation in the general line of these regulations. A copy of
these regulations is inclosed herewith in the hope that you will
transmit the same to the American Government.
