important and is very carefully done. The pan with the adhering opium is inverted over the fire, which has been covered with a thin layer of ashes. After about a minute, the worker is enabled to peel off a thin layer of opium, which is further dried on a gridiron so that both sides may be heated. The very brittle layer (resem- bling dark coloured ginger nut crackers) is then put into a larger copper par for the next treatment. Abu: Iz layers are taken in this way from each batch of opium, the peeling off of each being surprisingly easy. In this
TOASTING PROCESS
the beat applied to the surface of the opium as determined by a thermometer was not above 100° C. The layers in the larger pan are broken up, water is poured in and left to act till the next morning. A bunch of tang sam (lamp wick, the pith of some plant) is carefully inserted into the mass, so as to act both as a syphon and as a strainer, A clear dark coloured liquid drains off and is filtered through chỉ mut or bamboo paper. The pan is tilted until only an inscluble residue re- mains. To this residue is added boiling water and the liquid is then filtered through chỉ mut covered with a piece of calico to act as a strainer. The water used is the wash water of the previous day obtained as shown later on. Hot water is then put into the pan to clean it, and this liquid is used to wash the filters. These two washings together with the original filtrate obtained by means of the tang sam are put into the larger shallow pans and are rapidly boiled down over charcoal fires set in brickwork. Another washing of the re- sidue with plain water containing no opium is performed, and this wash water is put into very large copper receiver and is gradually boiled down separately in several pans. When concentrated fairly low, this last washing is pat into the smaller shallow pans and allowed to cool and settle, after which the clear liquid is poured off into the pans containing the filtrates epumerated above and which are being boiled down. There is still a little opium left in the residues on the filters, so another washing with plain water is given and this is used for the next day's wash purposes.
THE RESIDUES
a
are then dried and sold to persons who extract yet a little more opium. The opium extract so xesulting from these sold residues is known as ching ko and is bought by the Opium Farmer for making dross opium extract. This ching ko contains no morphine. When the filtrates have boiled down sufficiently and while still of the consistence of a thin liquid, they are filtered through chi mui and the filtrate of this is boiled down to the required concentration. Any scum that may have a tendency to creep
over the side of the pin is kept down by means of a goose's feather, and water is sprinkled on the interior of the pan from time to time to The prevent the formation of any dry extract.
pans are fanned from star: to finish to assist evaporation, and boiling is maintained as vigorously as it can be without causing the liquid to boil over. When judged to bs of the proper consistence the pans are removed from the fire and the opium extract is stirred and fanned with great vigour till cold. It is then weighed and sent to the Opium Farmer's depo: as prepared opium, smoking opium, opium extract or chandoo. This smoking opium is a black treacly substance, having a fragrant opium-like odour characteristic of a good pre- paration from good ingredients.
Throughout the process nothing whatever is
lost.
THE OPIUM COVERINGS that contain opium are put on one side and are twice boiled out with water, and the liquid so resulting is used to soak the opium at the com- mencement of the first operation. Afterwards a third extraction is made and this water is used tor the preparation of dross opium extract,
DROSS OPIUM EXTRACT.
This is prepared by taking 13 parts of opium dross or residues from the smoking of chandoo, 13 parts of hálán or residues from the smoking of dross opium extract, and 2 parts of ching ko. The last substance and the dross opium are put into boiling water in large shallow pans, and the hálán is put into boiling water in larger pans of cylindrical shape. The solu- tions are filtered after boiling, and the filtrates are evaporated in the shallow pans, the re- sidues are boiled up twice more, and their filtrates are evaporated as before, and when of the proper consistence are allowed to cool in the same manner as was seen in the prepara- tion of chandoo. The long boiling seemed to get rid of certain impurities as the odour at the end was considerably lessened and improved. Dross opium extract is a fairly hard dark brown solid having a less pronounced odour than the ordinary extract. When sent out it is softened by means of a water bath, weighed into pieces which are softened again under a pan of hot charcoal, stamped in divisions and each stamped portion is then cut off, and put into a pot for sale.
For all the operations, the greates: cleanliness. was observed, and all the utensils were kept scrupulously clean, All the coolies seemed most industrious and were as healthy looking and cheerful a set of workmen as has been. observed in any Hongkong industry.
[The contents of Appendices A to J as attach- ed to the report are indicated therein. Appen. dix I has been reproduced above.]
Printed by the Hongkong Telegraph Co., Ed.