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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[16205]
No. 1.
107
[May 18.]
SECTION 3.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 18.)
(No. 156.) Sir,
Peking, April 1, 1907. IN continuation of my despatch No. 119 of the 6th ultimo, I have the honour to forward to you herewith a further Memorandum, which has been drawn up by Mr. Garnett from various reports which I have received from His Majesty's Consuls since that date, on the progress of the measures which are being taken in the provinces for the enforcement of the Imperial Regulations against the use of opium.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Garnett respecting Opium Regulations.
I. Amoy.
HIS Majesty's Consul reports that a Proclamation has been issued in Ch'üanchou city by the Chinchiang Magistrate, in which it is definitely decreed that, after the lapse of three months from the date of the Proclamation, all sales of opium must cease, and all vendors of the drug must look to something else for a living. In Amoy itself, however, though it is the head-quarters of the Hsing Chuan Yung circuit, which includes Ch'üanchou, no action whatever has been taken yet in accordance with the Regulations of the Central Government. The Taotai has, however, received instructions in this sense from the Governor-General at Foochow.
A Proclamation has likewise been issued in Changchou-fu by the Lung Ch'i Magis- trate, who has jurisdiction over that city, directed against the use of opium; but ths- Proclamation, though full of paternal advice to the people not to indulge in the drug, fails to indicate that any sternly repressive steps will be taken in the event of non- compliance with the Regulations.
II. Chéngtu.
The annual production of raw opium in the Province of Szechuan is estimated at 200,000 piculs, that is to say, nearly four times as much as the total annual import from India. Of this amount, it is calculated that 182,000 piculs are consumed locally. Taking the adult population of the province to be 16,000,000, and supposing the number of males and females to be equal, it is estimated that over 17 per cent. of the adult population are opium smokers; or, dividing the population into urban and rural in the proportion of seven-tenths to three-tenths, the percentage of smokers is computed in the towns at fifty male and twenty females, in the country at fifteen and five respectively.
Practically no foreign opium is consumed in Szechuan,
The export of opium from the provinces is estimated at about 20,000 piculs
a-year.
The Szechuan-Hankow Railway Administration have hitherto derived a monthly income of about 1,6861. from the provincial tax on opium dens, and another 1,5714. from opium li-kin. The Provincial Government have taken the following steps to carry out the Regulations issued by the Central Government.
The Bureau of Foreign Affairs has been intrusted with the execution of the necessary remedial and disciplinary measures. They have commenced the erection of refuges for opium smokers in various parts of the city. They have declined the offer
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