L
June 22, 1908.]
will only be half the weight of the raw opium, ie, the daily consumption of prepared opium in China will be 831,769 5 taels and the number of opium smokers falls to 4,158,847, or only about one per cent, of the total population of the Chinese Empire. The conclusion of the matter is, therefore, this: that, supposing the consumption of opium in China to be twice as large as that estimated by Sir J. Jordan, or in other words making a most liberal, and even excessive, allowance for smuggling, and for such
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
1,012
$14
=
known that confirmed opium smokers and those to whom the habit is deleterious consume far more), the following figures result:-
(i.) The number of persons who smoke dross opium is
7,228.5 (ii.) The number of persons who smoke pre pred opium in divans is
607,937
7,237-3 *084: (iii) The number of persons who smoke pre- -=10,841.3
therefore, 25,310:1.
(iv) The total number of opium smokers is,
persons as may consume less than ls. 0.2 perpared opiam outside divans is 910.925. diem, opium smokers are only 2 per cent. of the population.
(.) Percentage of o,ium smokers in Sauch'uan Prov nce-Sir J. Jordan reports that the pro- duction of opium in Esuoh'nan is 200,000 piculs annually, "of which 182,000 are consumed in the province, practically no foreign opium entering this part of Chica." In another part of the same report ir J. Jordan points out that Ssuch'uan alone produces c'ose on two-thirds" of the total opium production in China. Не adds that "the population of the province is estimated at 45.000,000, and Sir A. Hoaie is of opinion "that 17 per cent. of the adults and 7 per cent. of the entire population are addicted to opium smoking." Sir J. Jordan does not state upon what data Sir A. Hosie arrived at bis conclusion, but argaing from the figures which he has himself supplied, it follows that 182,000 piculs of raw opium will boil down into 91,000 piculs of prepared opium, or 145,600.000 taels, implying a daily consumption of 398.904 taals. Assuming once more that each smoker consumes Tls. 0.2 per diem, it results that there are 1,994,52 opium smokers in Ssuch'uan, ie., 44 per cent. of the whole population.
If it is true that 7 per cent of the whole population smoke opium. then, as 3,150,000 persons consume daily 398,901 taels of opium, it follows that each opium smoker will consume only Tls 0.126 per diem ie., about one-four of the amount estimated by Sir J. Jordan in his depatch of 14th August, 1907, or in the alternative that 231,096 taels more than the amount estimated by Sir J. Jordan are con- sumed in Ssuoh'usu daily.
(3.) Pe ce tage of opium smokers in Hong- kong. Here we no longer deal with estimates, but with accurate figures. According to the Census returns of 1906 the Chinese population
of the Colony was as follows:- Males over 15 years...
Total males
Females over 15 years Total females
|
:08+
Opium Farmer to divans only, and not to the I may add that dross opium is sold by the general public, and that it is therefore, im- possible to differentiate between persons who smoke dross opium inside and outside divans. data:--
The following percentages result from these
(i) Percentage of opium smokers in the Territories): - total Chinese population (including the New
(a.) dross smokers 1-785 per cent. (b.) prepared opium smokers in divans 1-787
per cent.
(c.) prepared opiam smokers outside divans 2 678 per cent.
The total ratio is, therefore, 6-25 per cent. (ii) Percentage of opium smokers in the adult male and female Chinese population (ex cluding the New Territories):
(8.) dross smokers 2.75 per cent. (b.) prepared opium smokers in divans 2-758
per cent.
(c) prepared opium smokers outside divans 4:132 per cent.
The total ratio is, therefore, 9644 per cent. (iii) Percentage of opiam smokers in the Chinese male population over 15 years of age (excluding the New Territories): -
(a,) dross smokers 3.696 per cent. (b.) prepared opium smokers in divars 3-701 per cent.
(.) prepared opium smokers outside divaos 5-545 per cent,
The total ratio is, therefore; 12.942 per cent. I desire again to state emphatically that these are the highest possible percentages: and that the true percentage is probably at least one-third lower than the figures above given, for it is 195.541 certain that prepared opiam and deoss opium 224,236 smokers as a rale consume much more than 66,844 0:4 taels and 14 tals respectively per diem. 95,567 In this connection the pres-nt Opium Farmer's
secretary, Ch'an K'ai-meng, made the follow.
me .319,903 ing statements to on the 12th instant,
Grand total (exclusive of New Terri-
tories) Total population of that part of the New Territories not included in the above figures, as estimated in 1901
85,011 Therefore, the grand total of the Chinese population in the Colony and its New Terri teries was 319,8 3+85,011-404,814: and the total number of males and feniales over 15 years of age in the Colony (excluding the New Territories, for which figures are not available) was 195,541 +66,844-262,384.
Now the only person in the Colony and its New Territories, from whom prepared opium and dross opium can be bought, is the Opium Farmer; and as the result of a detailed examina- tion of the Opium Farmer's account books in May, 1908, it was ascertained that during 14 months commencing from the 1st April, 1907 an average weight of 30,788 32 taels of dross opium had been supplied monthly to dross opium div ns, that an average weight of 18,487-292 taels of prepared opium had been supplied monthly to prepared opium divans, and that an average weight of 27,701 23 taels of prepared opium had been supplied monthly to customers for consumption in the Colony and the New Territories outside divans, Assuming, therefore, a month of 30-41 days it follows that the average daily consumption was (a) 1,012:44 taels of dross opium in divans: (b) 607-987 taels of prepared opium in divans: (o) 910-925 taels of prepared opium outside divanz. And, assuming further that (a) a dross smoker consumes 2 pots, weighing 007 taels each, of dross opium per diem ; and (b) that a smoker of prepared opium consumes 2 pots, weighing 0042 faels, of prepared opium per diem, (both those figures being taken as low as possible in order that the percentages calculated may be the highest possible, though it is well
Damely that all dross smokers are confirmed opium smokers, otherwise, as he pats it they would not smoke dross opium: that a dross smoker consumes on the average 3 pots, ie, Tls. 021, of dross opium per diem; that most habitues of prepared opian divans are confirmed opium smokers; that prepared opium smokers fall into three groups:
(a.) coolies: of these there are only a few, and they would probably smoke pote, i.e., Tls. 0084, of prepared opiam and a pot of dress opium in addition.
(b.) head-coolies and the poorer class of shopkeepers: these would consume at least Tle. 0-3 per diem.
(c.) well-to-do Chinese: these would consume from Tis, 0.3 per diem upwards; Tls, 0·5 would not be unusual: some smoke as much as one tael a day and he has known a man who smok- ed two taels a day.
ny
Mr. Ch'an added that Tis. 03 of prepared opium is about the average dose in all classes. It will be seen, therefore, that in assuming the daily consumption of each smoker to te Tls 014 of dross opium and I'ls. 0-084 of prepared opium, I bave taken very low figures. increase in them will, of course, decrease the percentages of opiam smokers in the population as above calculated. Mr. Ch'an gave it as his opinion that about 10 per cent. of the adult male population were opium smokers-a lower and more probable estimate than thei12:942 per cent. calculated in the preceding paragraph. He also said that in Hongkong scarcely any women smoke opium.
that, in a letter dated the 4th instant, the Chief In confirmation of these figures I may add Detective Inspector reports that of 1,316 Chinese employed on the railway tunnel at
393
Kowloon (646 being coolies), 127 smoke opium:
that there are 59 licensed chairs in the Hill District, carried by 100 men, none of whom in Victoria, carried by 1,2.8 men, of whom 113 smoke opium that there are 624 licensed chairs
smoke opiam; that there are 1,225 licensed driven by 2,450 men, of whom 74 smoke opium: jiariokshaws in Victoria and Quarry Bay,
and that there are 250 licens.d jinrickshaws in opium. Kowloon, driven by 25 › meu, of whom 24 smoke
These figures speak for themselves, and they go far to show that the outery, which has been raised as to the prevalence of the opium habit among Chinese, has really no justification in fact, and add one more proof of the platitade that on the subject of opium smoking there is more loose thinking and loose writing, both among Chinese and Europeans I than on almost
any other of the ourions features which Chinese civilization presents to Western minds. It remains to apply the figures, to the sp cial que8- tion of the abolition of opium divans in Hong. Kong, and in this connection it is necessary to premise that the abolition of divans will cost money, and to recapitulate the facts that prac tically all smokers of dross opiam are slaves of the habit; that the large majority of persons who smoke prepared opium in divans are also slaves of the babit; that after the abolition of divans the Opium Farmer will continue, as beretofore, to possess the right of selling pre- pared and dross opinm to the general public; and that, even under existing conditions, an average monthly weight of 27,701-229 taels of prepared opium is sold by the Farmer for consumption in the Colony for outside divans. It is not to be supposed that a half, probably not even a quarter, of the persons, who pre- Viusly smoked in divans will forego their daily allowance of opium when the divans have been closed. Therefore, as i have shown that the number of dross smokers is at most 1785 per cent. and that of prepared opium smkers iu divans it most 1757 per cent. of the total Chinese population, the number of persons whom the abolition of divans may eure of the opium babit is certainly less than a balf, and probably not even a quarter of 3.582 per cent. of the total Chinese population. In order, then, that certainly less than 1.791 per cent, and pro- bably not even 0395 per cent. of the total Chinese population may perhaps be delivered from the compensation to the Opium Farmer and to vice of opium smokin a tax, in payment of
divan keepers and in loss of revenue, must be imposed on the remaining 98-209 per cent. or 99.105 per cent. of the Chinese, and upon the whole non-Chinese population of the Colony. Further than this, at least 7,232, and probably more than 10,848, divan habitues, whom the abolition of divans leaves unregenerale, will not, as hitherto smoke opium in premises where they are under the direct control of the Police and Sanitary Departments, but will be free. to smoke in any place they choose, to the probable detriment of the good order and sanitation of the Colony,
Therefore, to sum up, the abolition of opium divans in Hongkong means this:
(a) l'hat certainly no more than 7,232, sad probably not even 3,616 persons (perhaps not even a single person) may give upopium smoking (b) ihat this result will be achieved at a cost which would not have been greater had all the habitués of divans i.e., some 14,465 persons,: given up opium smoking:
(c) That this cost will fall mainly upon 93-75 per cent. of Chinese population, who do not smoke opium, and up.n the whole non-Chinese
community:
(d) That at least 7,232, and probably more than 10,848 confirmed opium smokers will be they are habitués, and will thas in large measure debarred from smoking in the divans, of which
be released fr.m police and sanitary supervision,
C. CLEMENTI, Assistant Colonial Secretary. Hongkong, 12th June, 1908,
APPENDIX A.
lation, taken in 1902, gives the following The last Chinese official census of the popu- figure:-
Eighteen Provinces.
31,865,251 22,876,540 11,580,692 13,980,235
Kwang Tung Fukien Chekiang Kiangsu
***