File No. 774/693a.
The Secretary of State to Ambassador Rockhill.
Washington, February 17, 1910.
Sir: The department acknowledges the receipt of your unnumbered dispatch of the 29th ultimo, accompanied by duplicate copies “and translations of a note of the preceding day’s date, in which the ministry for foreign affairs approved in principle the aide-mémoire proposing an international opium conference, but with a reservation as to the article relating to restrictions upon the cultivation of the poppy.
You will convey to the minister for foreign affairs this Government’s appreciation of the favor with which the Imperial Government looks upon the realization of the projected international opium conference, and of its approbation in principle of the tenor of the tentative [Page 298] program contained in the department’s circular instruction of September 1, 1909.
The department notes that the Imperial Government, in accepting the tentative program, does so with the distinct reservation that it “must henceforth insist that article (e) [should be (f)?] of the program can not be accepted by the Imperial Government, inasmuch as there is almost no production of opium, in Russia. For that reason the restriction and control of the cultivation of the poppy provided by article (e) [should be (f)?] would be superfluous, and would oppose a serious obstacle to the development of one of the branches of Russian agriculture.”
In regard to the hope expressed by the Imperial Government that at the time of the discussion of measures in the projected conference the local conditions of each country may be taken into consideration you will inform the minister for foreign affairs that this Government has from the first most carefully recognized and will continue to recognize the varying features of the entire opium question as they appear in the territories of the interested countries.
You are informed, to be used at your discretion, that China, Portugal, and the Netherlands have accepted the American proposals, and that the British foreign office is in consultation with the India office in regard to them. Further, that the Netherlands Government, in accepting this Government’s proposals, expressed a desire that the proposed conference be held at The Hague, and that when notified by this Government as to the adhering powers the Government of the Queen will issue the necessary invitations to the conference.
I am, etc.,