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urges that those who are engaged in these shops should look about for another means of livelihood.
Paoshan.--The Magistrate of the district has issued a Proclamation giving all opium shops six months in which to close.
The Chief Engineer (British) of the Shanghae-Nanking Railway has issued a Circular ordering all employés on the railway in any capacity to give up smoking opium. Any found smoking after two months will be discharged.
babit.
Attitude of Officials. The officials, generally, seem to be making some show of taking the edict seriously. The daily press comments every day on the action taken by some official or other, and officials are heard of who are making efforts to give up the babit themselves and are rumoured to be suffering in health in consequence. The Governor of Soochow seems to be energetic and anxious to secure the co-operation of the gentry. Certain bureaux and clubs, formed with the object of suppressing opium smoking or of helping those who are trying to give up the habit are constantly mentioned in the press. The gentry who have formed the Society for the suppression of opium smoking at Changchou have received a communication from the Provincial Judge, and have passed a resolution to strenuously assist the carrying out of his orders against opium smoking. Orders have been given to the heads of boroughs that after three months the prepared opium tax must not be levied, and after six every opium shop shall be closed. The Governor of Soochow has appointed a Deputy to draw up a list of opium-smoking officials. One Magistrate reported that he was an opium smoker, but had given up the habit. He visited the Governor, and it was obvious that he was still a very heavy smoker. He was accordingly dismissed and replaced by a Deputy, The Mixed Court Magistrate has issued orders that all Mixed Court clerks and runners and all prisoners, male and female, must give up opium smoking within the month. He recently discovered that the prisoners had in their possession accessories for smoking, and that smoking went on day and night at the gaol. He gave orders that all appliances should be immediately destroyed. An official has been deputed to proceed from Soochow to Shanghae to report on opium smoking among the officials. He will personally visit all yamens, bureaux, and offices, and will ask for a sealed undertaking on the part of all opium-smoking officials that they will cease smoking by the prescribed date. He will also inquire and report upon all clerks and runners addicted to the
On his return to Soochow he will lay his detailed report before the Governor. The Governor of Soochow is establishing offices for the surveillance and taxation of prepared opium, and is issuing orders that all prepared opium shops shall double their charges. He is employing increase in taxation as a prohibitory measure. His Excellency's general idea is to establish a "Head Office for the inspection and taxatiou of Government prepared opium" in Soochow city and four branch offices at the police stations of the four sections. The shops will all be made to take out licences, which will be issued gratis; the raw opium shops which also sell the prepared drug will also have to take out licences. Suppose an ounce of opium is sold, the price being 1,000 cash, they will be authorized to charge 2,000 cash, the price being thus doubled. Opium smokers will be permitted to purchase the prepared opium only, not the raw drug. The raw opium dealers are only to sell to licensed prepared opium shops for preparation and retail sale. Dealers in raw opium from other districts must also produce their licences before raw opium may be sold to them. The profit on the sale of prepared opium at the increased rate will be divided, one-tenth going to the shop as a special allowance, nine-tenths to be handed to the "office for opium inspection and taxation." This money will be appropriated partly as the prepared opium tax formerly collected, partly for the establishment of a Government Opium Cure Agency and for the sheltering of poor opium smokers and their feeding and treatment with medicine, and partly for the provision of the Deputies' salary and the fuel and food for those emploped in the office.
Restrictions on Smokers. The higher authorities are daily reported to be issuing orders for the cessation of smoking by officials and setting time limits for their complete cure of the habit. In Soochow shops dealing in apparatus necessary for opium smoking are allowed one month in which to shut. All lesser officials, customs, and li-kin officials, clerks, and runners within the jurisdiction of the Paoshan District Magistrate who smoke opium have given bonds to give up the habit; these bonds have been sent up to the higher authorities.
The Prefect of Soochow has decided to establish an official opium agency at Soochow to effect a perfect system of surveillance over opium smokers and to enforce the time-limit for the giving up of opium smoking. He has drawn up twenty-two
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Regulations, which have been submitted to the Provincial Judge for an opinion as to their practicability.
Closure of Opium Dens. Within and without the city of Soochow there exist 1,900 opium shops of various sizes. These are now registered in the Prepared Opium Bureau and have received licences and have paid the tax. Opium dens at any distance from the city itself are not included in the official return, which is said to be far short of the full number, as in Soochow city itself there are over 1,900.
The Shanghae Chinese Bund Bureau of Public Works has ordered all opium shops, large and small, to shut within six months, and have arranged that a register of such establishments shall be kept to facilitate the measure.
The Shanghae District Magistrate has given orders to the same effect and prohibits any new shops from opening under pain of heavy penalties.
Effect on Foreign Opium.-Messrs. E. D. Sassoon and Co. report: "There has not recently been any reduction in the importation of Indian opium, but from July next the Indian Government is going to sell 400 chests less every month, and consequently the importation of Bengal opium will then be reduced by this quantity. This decision was made public about a fortnight ago and had its effect on prices, which have since advanced."
Morphia. The District Magistrates at Soochow have received orders from the Taotai and Prefect that the sale of morphia, whether intended as an anti-opium medicine or for injection or any other purpose, is to be most strictly prohibited. The Taotai has also drafted a Proclamation, dated the 7th March, and has sent it to the Senior Consul for consideration, prohibiting the sale of morphia, or of anti-opium drugs which have not received the approval of the authorities, in the Settlement.
VII. Swatow.
Nothing, His Majesty's Consul reports, appears to have been done yet in the matter of enforcing the prohibition of opium smoking beyond sending two or three deputies round the district to warn petty officials to discontinue the use of the drug within six months. From time to time a certain individual, it is said, forwards to Peking "by command for the use of the Palace" a couple of boxes of opium prepared in a specially appetising way, said to be peculiar to Swatow. As long as these consignments go forward the Imperial Edict on the subject is not likely to be taken very seriously.
VIII. Yünnan.
His Majesty's Consul-General reports that the enforcement of the ten Regulations for the suppression of opium growing and smoking has been put off until after the Chinese New Year (13th February). In the immediate neighbourhood of Yunnan-fu there has been a very considerable decrease in the area under poppy cultivation, but although certain timid or cautious farmers may have taken alarm at the recent Edict His Majesty's Consul-General is assured that the great majority of the planters were influenced rather by the fact that the crop of 1905-1906 could not be sold at a profit. Large stocks remained in the hands of the dealers, and local opium was being retailed at 12 taels the 100 Chinese ounces. The weather, again, was unfavourable. During last December no rain at all fell and the poppy seeds failed to germinate. The consequence is that the retail price has now advanced to 28 or 29 taels per 100 ounces, in addition to the consolidated tax of 115 taels per picul. The late Head of the City Li-kin Collec- torate, himself an opium smoker, informed His Majesty's Consul-General that the result will be to largely increase the acreage to be sown with the poppy next season (1997- 1908), which hardly looks as though active measures of suppression are contemplated.
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