placed before the Conference might be insufficient to arrive at definite recommendations, the United States modified its original attitude. Therefore, in the latter part of 1906, the Government of the United States approached several of the Powers more particularly interested in the question for an international commission of enquiry to study the scientific, economic, moral, and legislative aspects of the opium problem.

It was finally agreed by the Governments concerned that a Commission should meet at Shanghai on the 1st January, 1909. The Commission met on the 1st February, having been postponed out of respect to the late Emperor and Dowager Empress of China, and adjourned on the 26th February, 1909. After a thorough and searching study of the opium question in all its bearings, the Commission adopted the following resolutions:Be it resolved:

1. That the International Opium Commission recognizes the unswerving sincerity of the Government of China in their efforts to eradicate the production and consumption of opium throughout the Empire; the increasing body of public opinion among their own subjects by which these efforts are being supported; and the real though unequal progress already made in a task which is one of the greatest magnitude.

2. That in view of the action taken by the Government of China in suppressing the practice of opium smoking, and by other Governments to the same end, the International Opium Commission recommends that each delegation concerned move its own Government to take measures for the gradual suppression of the practice of opium smoking in its own territories and possessions, with due regard to the varying circumstances of each country concerned.

3. That the International Opium Commission finds that the use of opium in any form otherwise than for medical purposes is held by almost every participating country to be a matter for prohibition or for careful regulation; and that each country in the administration of its system of regulation purports to be aiming, as opportunity offers, at progressively increasing stringency. In recording these conclusions, the International Opium Commission recognizes the wide variations between the conditions prevailing in the different countries, but it would urge on the attention of the Governments concerned the desirability of a re-examination of their systems of regulation in the light of the experience of other countries dealing with the same problem.

4. That the International Opium Commission finds that each Government represented has strict laws which are aimed, directly or indirectly, to prevent the smuggling of opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations, into their respective territories; in the judgment of the International Opium Commission it is also the duty of all countries to adopt reasonable measures to prevent at ports of departure the shipment of opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations to any country which prohibits the entry of opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations.

5. That the International Opium Commission finds that the unrestricted manufacture, sale, and distribution of morphine already constitute a grave danger, and that the morphine habit shows signs of spreading; the International Opium Commission therefore desires to urge strongly on all Governments that it is highly important that drastic measures should be taken by each Government in its own territories and possessions to control the manufacture, sale, and distribution of this drug, and also of such other derivatives of opium as may appear on scientific inquiry to be liable to similar abuse and productive of like ill-effects.

6. That as the International Opium Commission is not constituted in such a manner as to permit the investigation from a scientific point of view of anti-opium remedies and of the properties and effects of opium and its products, but deems such investigation to be of the highest importance, the International Opium Commission desires that each delegation shall recommend this branch of the subject to its own Government for such action as that Government may think necessary.

7. That the International Opium Commission strongly urges all Governments possessing concessions or settlements in China which have not yet taken effective action towards the closing of opium divans in the said concessions and settlements to take steps to that end, as soon as they may deem it possible, on the lines already adopted by several Governments.

8. That the International Opium Commission recommends strongly that each delegation move its Government to enter into negotiations with the Chinese Government with a view to effective and prompt measures being taken in the various foreign concessions and settlements in China for the prohibition of the trade and manufacture of such anti-opium remedies as contain opium or its derivatives.

9. That the International Opium Commission recommends that each delegation move its Government to apply its pharmacy laws to its subjects in the consular districts, concessions, and settlements in China.

Although no formal declaration was made, it was a matter of discussion, and was recognized by the Commission as a whole that the foregoing resolutions, however important morally, would fail to satisfy enlightened public opinion unless by subsequent agreement of the Powers, they and the minor questions involved in them were incorporated in an international convention.

Impressed by the gravity of the opium problem and the desirability of divesting it of local and unwise agitation, as well as the necessity of maintaining it upon the basis of fact as determined by the Shanghai Commission, the United States deems it important that international effect and sanction be given to the resolutions of the International Opium Commission, and to this end proposes that an international conference be held at a convenient date at The Hague or elsewhere composed of one or more delegates of each of the participating Powers,

and that the delegates should have full powers to conventionalize the resolutions adopted at Shanghai and their necessary consequences. The Government of the United States suggests as a tentative programme, based upon the resolutions and proceedings of the International Commission, the following:

(a.) The advisability of effective national laws and regulations to control the production, manufacture, and distribution of opium, its derivatives and preparations.

(b.) The advisability of restricting the number of ports through which opium may be shipped by opium-producing countries.

(c.) The means to be taken to prevent at the port of departure the shipment of opium, its derivatives and preparations, to countries that prohibit, or wish to prohibit, or control their entry.

(d.) The advisability of reciprocal notification of the amount of opium, its derivatives and preparations, shipped from one country to another.

(e.) Regulation by the Universal Postal Union of the transmission of opium, its derivatives and preparations, through the

mails.

(f) The restriction or control of the cultivation of the poppy, so that the production of opium will not be undertaken by countries which at present do not produce it, to compensate for the reduction being made in British India and China.

(9.) The application of the pharmacy laws of the Governments concerned to their subjects in the consular districts, concessions, and settlements in China.

(h.) The propriety of restudying treaty obligations and international agreements under which the opium traffic is at present conducted.

(i.) The advisability of uniform provisions of penal laws concerning offences against any agreements that the Powers may make in regard to opium production and traffic.

(j) The advisability of uniform marks of identification of packages containing opium in international transit.

(k.) The advisability of permits to be granted to exporters of opium, its derivatives and preparations.

(1.) The advisability of reciprocal right of search of vessels suspected of carrying contraband opium.

(m.) The advisability of measures to prevent the unlawful use of a flag by vessels engaged in the opium traffic.

(n.) The advisability of an international commission to be entrusted with the carrying out of any international agreement concluded.

Without attempting to prescribe the scope of the Conference, or to present a programme which may not be varied nor enlarged, the Government of the United States believes that the foregoing suggestions might properly serve as the basis at least for preliminary discussion, and invites a formal expression of opinion not merely upon the topics outlined, but an enumeration of other

order to prevent misunderstandings in future, and to avoid creating an order of things which might place the Persian Government in an embarrassing situation in any respect whatever, the above-mentioned regions are clearly defined in the Arrangement. In mentioning the revenues which are affected to the loans concluded by the Persian Government with the Discount and Loan Bank and the Imperial Bank of Persia, the Russian and British Governments recognize that these revenues will be in future affected to the same purpose as in the past, and the two Governments equally engage, in the case of irregularities in the amortization of, or in the payment of, interest on the above-mentioned loans, to enter on a friendly exchange of views in order to determine by common agreement the measures which, in conformity with the law of nations, it would be necessary to take in order to safeguard the interest of the creditors, and to avoid all interference which would not be in conformity with the principles of that Arrangement.

In signing that Arrangement the two States have not for a moment lost sight of the fundamental principle of absolute respect of the integrity and independence of Persia. The Arrangement has no other object than that of avoiding any cause of misunderstanding between the Contracting Parties on the ground of Persian affairs. The Government of the Shah will convince itself that the agreement arrived at between Russia and Great Britain can but contribute in the most efficacious manner to the security of the prosperity and the ultimate development of Persia.

September 11, 1907.

BRITISH LETTERS PATENT passed under the Great Seai of the United Kingdom, making further provision as to the appointment of a Deputy or Deputies to the Governor of the Gold Coast Colony.-Westminster, March 19, 1912.

GEORGE V, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India: To all whom these presents shall come, greeting.

Whereas by certain Letters Patent passed under the Great Seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland bearing date at Westminster the 13th day of January, 1886,* Her late Majesty Queen Victoria did constitute, order, and declare that there should be a Governor and Commander-in-chief (therein and hereinafter called "the Governor") in and over our Colony

* Vol. LXXVII, page 991.