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other parts of the province, but it is not known yet how far the orders are being complied with.
This, His Majesty's Consul reported, is the first attempt he had heard of to put the Opium Regulations into effect. Missionaries in various districts report that nothing so far has been done in their districts. The Prefect is said to be trying to raise funds from the gentry for the purpose of providing a hospital to cure opium smokers; no official funds are available, as any surplus from taxes, &c., has long ago been appropriated
to other uses.
IV.-Kiukiang.
The Taotai had informed His Majesty's Consul previous to the 29th January that no steps had up to then been taken to put into force the new Regulations. Only one prominent official at Kiukiang is addicted to the habitual use of the drug. The newly-appointed Governor is said to be also given to using the drug, so that possibly the Regulations will not be enforced very stringently in Kiangsi.
V.--Mukden,
The districts in Manchuria in which most native opium is grown are round Hulan, north of Harbin, in the Hei Lung Chiang Province, and round Ashiho, 20 miles east of Harbin in the Kirin Province. So far as preliminary measures and Proclamations go everything is being done in Mukden and its environs that could be expected. On the 19th December the Mukden Treasury ordered a list of opium-smoking officials of Mukden to be made. The Opium Prevention Regulations were posted in many places in the town early in December. On the 10th January the police had orders to stop all On the 25th January a police smoking of opium in restaurants, inns, and brothels. proclamation was issued to the effect that all opium-smoking saloons or dens must be closed before the 26th May, 1907; that their licences expired at the end of the Chinese The fees for the year (the 12th February, 1907) and would not be renewed. remaining months would be waived. With regard to licences for smokers, the police are visiting all houses and taking the names of smokers with particulars, and the opium dens have to take the names of smokers frequenting those places. This seems preparatory to the issue of licences, but no special office has yet been established for carrying out the Regulation provisions. All matters are left in the hands of the police up to the present. On the 30th January a Proclamation was issued that all Mongol officers and soldiers under the jurisdiction of Mukden must cease smoking opium at once under pain of dismissal. Societies have been formed to encourage the cessation of the opium habit, and the city abounds in advertisements of anti-opium medicines.
VI.-Nanking.
His Majesty's Consul reports that no special steps have yet been taken to put into force the Opium Regulations, although Proclamations have been posted in some places embodying the Regulations and fixing the first of the Chinese New Year (the 13th February) as the beginning of the six months' limit within which opium-houses are to be closed. The opinion is generally expressed among officials that the Government is this time serious in its intention to put down opium smoking; but doubts are not wanting as to the possibility of replacing the revenue that will thus be lost. 'The official " Gazette of the 4th January contained an article advocating the extension of anti-opium Societies,
The Viceroy has issued a Proclamation forbidding the retail sale of morphia and morphia-needles-the tormer having been used in anti-opium medicines.
VII.-Shanghar.
The Taotai has issued a Proclamation ordering all opium shops to be closed in six months. A petition asking for an extension of time was rejected. He also issued a Proclamation ordering the discontinuance of the use of morphia in anti-opium medicines.
A commencement has been made by the Chinese authorities of listing opium shops Shanghae. The west gate section was worked until about 100 shops had been
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registered, but the work has ceased, and no progress has been made for some weeks, The reason cannot be ascertained.
In December there was a meeting of influential Chinese in Shanghae, at which a Resolution was passed expressing approval of the action of the Government and of the attitude of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
A meeting of gentry is reported as having been held at Chang Chou, when it was proposed to petition the higher authorities to put into effect at once the proposals of the anti-opium memorial.
The Viceroy of Nanking and the Governor of Soochow have issued a joint Proclamation insisting on the need for the eradication of the vice, urging the adoption of the official anti-opium prescription and the establishment of an anti-opium Society, and urging all officials to bestir themselves and attain the end desired by the Court.
VIII.-Soochow.
The Governor has issued Proclamations announcing the Imperial sanction to the proposals of the anti-opium memorialists, and fixing a day for the limit of time for closing opium dens.
Regulations have been issued jointly in the names of the Provincial Treasurer, Judge, Commissioner of Education, and General Commanding the Forces based on those set forth in the original Memorial. All respectable people in Soochow are said to desire the stamping out of the use of opium, and the majority maintain its possibility. Among the high officials only the Treasurer uses opium; the Anti-opium League keeps a list of those whom it aids in breaking the habit.
IX.-Tengyuch.
The habit of smoking opium has been adopted by some 90 per cent. of the population of the province of Yunnan, and it is thought that any genuine attempt to limit production of opium will entail hardship and discontent, which may lead to a
serious state of affairs.
Mr. Clementi, of the Hong Kong Civil Service, who is in the course of an overland journey from Kuangsi to Burmah, has reported that the officials he met did not take the new Regulations seriously. No instructions have as yet reached the local officials at Tengyueb on the matter.
X.--Kwangsi.
A report has reached His Majesty's Legation that there has been a small riot in this province over an attempt to stop opium cultivation.
XI-Tien-tsin.
In Tien-tsin city all opium shops and divans have been closed, but no registration of opium smokers has been begun. His Majesty's Consul-General learns from Shuntefu, in the south-west of Chihli, that the opium dens there are to be closed in July of this year; various Proclamations as to anti-opium measures have been posted on the city gates.
From Chichou, in the south of Chihli, a missionary writes: "I have recently traversed a large section of this part of the province, and made careful inquiry. The result is that I am convinced the Edict has impressed the people favourably, but it is equally clear that no sustained and honest effort is being made by the local officials to Of carry out the Regulations issued by the Government, except in a few isolated cases. the five counties in this Prefecture three of the Magistrates are opium smokers. One of these can never be got to appear in Court until late in the evening, and receives no guest until late in the afternoon. This is due to his being a slave to the habit. The Regulations have been issued by him to the constables, but I have not found one throughout the whole district who has posted the Regulations in a public place. As one of the gentry remarked to me, the Magistrate is not going to smack his own face by seeing that the Regulations are being carried out. Most, if not all, of the constables are also opium smokers, and several of them have such a sense of propriety that they have
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