The public outcry was mounting, and Franz naturally would not pass up this opportunity to boost his reputation; combatting the drug trade was undoubtedly a positive initiative.
Others feared retaliation from opium traders and had to watch their words, but he, the Emperor, was not afraid!
On June 26, 1889, Franz issued the "Declaration of War Against Drugs," calling for all countries around the world to act together to ban the drug trade.
The opium trade, being the main target of criticism, saw Franz making no accommodations for the United Kingdom, directly demanding that the British Government take responsibility for the proliferation of opium.
On the same day, Austria's Foreign Ministry also sent diplomatic notes to countries around the world, inviting them to attend an international conference on drug prohibition to be held in Vienna a year later.
Given the lengthy interval, that was unavoidable.
