§ Sir HENRY COTTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention had been drawn to the fact that the rate of Import Duty on opium in the Federated Malay States now stood at 1,200 dollars, or £140, per chest; and if he could state the present rate of duty in the China treaty ports?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. McKinnon Wood)As regards the first part of the question, I have seen the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies on October 5th. With regard to the second, the duty on imported opium is determined by the additional Article of 1885 of the Chefu Convention, which fixes the Import Duty at 30 taels per chest of one picul, to which is added a further 80 taels for likin, making a total of 110 taels. This works out at the present rate of exchange at, roughly, £12 17s. a chest.
§ Sir H. COTTONIs it within the power of the Chinese Government to raise the duty?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODI should like notice of that question.