American Legation,
Peking
,
October 15,
1908
.
No. 1027.]
I have sent, for their information and guidance, copies of this note to
all of our consulates general and consulates in China.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Rockhill.
Foreign Office,
Peking
,
September 28,
1908
.
No. 477.]
Your Excellency: In regard to the
prohibition of the importation of morphia the board of foreign
affairs has already communicated several times with the ministers of
the different foreign nations, and all have now signified their
assent to the prohibition. This prohibiton should now be made
operative.
It is now determined that from January 1, 1909, morphia and
hypodermic needles for injecting morphia shall be prohibited from
import at all Chinese ports. That which is necessary for medicinal
uses will be treated as follows:
Any foreign physician who wishes to import morphia must file a formal
declaration at the consulate of his own nationality, stating that
the morphia is for his own use or for the use of some specified
hospital.
Dealers in drugs who wish to import morphia must file a formal
declaration at the consulate of their own nationality binding
themselves not to sell morphia except on a prescription of a foreign
physician and even on a prescription only in very small quantities.
The consul shall notify the customs authorities of the filing of
these declarations, with the exact amounts to be imported, and the
goods may not be landed without a special permit issued by the
customs authorities. If it shall be discovered that anyone has acted
contrary to the terms of his formal declaration, he shall be forever
barred from importing morphia.
Duty on imported morphia shall be collected at the reduced rate of 5
per cent ad valorem. Morphia imported without special permit of the
customs authorities shall be confiscated.
If the goods have been shipped prior to January 1, 1909, the Chinese
customs authorities will determine limits of time, according to the
distances from the points of shipment within which the goods may be
admitted to import; and duty will be collected according to the
present tariffs without reduction.
China engages to prohibit her own people from manufacturing morphia
or hypodermic needles. China also undertakes to prohibit foreigners
of all nationalities from manufacturing morphia or hypodermic
needles in Chinese territory.
The above are the regulations relative to the prohibition of the
importation of morphia which China has enacted after consultation
with the foreign powers. They are communicated to your excellency so
that your excellency may make them fully known to all the trading
people of your excellency’s nationality.
A reply is expected.
A necessary dispatch.
