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Viceroy's Proclamation, referred to in my last Report, ordering all opium-smoking officials to register themselves on the "black list" remains a "dead letter." The provincial Director of Education, a notorious opium smoker, still holds office, and not one official has voluntarily resigned or been deprived of his post on account of his addiction to opium.
In Chengtu the Commissioner of Police has been appointed a Director of the Head Office for the suppression of opium smoking, and this energetic and enlightened official recently informed His Majesty's Consul-General in conversation that, if given a free hand, he undertook to completely stamp out opium smoking in Chengtu and the neighbourhood within five years. Unfortunately the Acting Viceroy, with whom he is on bad terms, has removed him from his sphere of usefulness in the police and appointed him to the comparatively unimportant post of Director of the Commercial Bureau, and it is unlikely that his successor will carry on his crusade against illicit opium dens and vendors of spurious opium remedies. In a recent Proclamation, issued by the Chengtu Prefect and Magistrate, notice was given that all opium shops, divans, &c., must take out licences at the newly-established opium hongs. As this Proclama- tion made no mention of the fact that all opium shops and divans are under orders to close at the end of the 6th moon, it was generally supposed that this was the first indication given by the authorities that they did not intend to carry out the former Viceroy's instructions on this subject. In reply to a query put to the Acting Viceroy on this point, his Excellency stated that the Proclamation in question was issued in terms of the Board of Revenue's Regulations for the taxation of native opium, and that it did not affect in any way the later Regulation regarding the closing of opium shops and divans. There exists, however, a strong feeling among the Chinese that the Govern- ment will not when the time arrives proceed to extremes against the dealers in opium, partly out of consideration for vested interests, principally because of the serious loss of revenue the closing of the opium shops will entail.
Some of the older Protestant missionaries resident in Chengtu report that there is undoubtedly a strong movement, especially noticeable among the middle or shop- keeping class, to rid themselves of the opium habit, but they do not think the desired reform can be accomplished by Proclamation and prohibition on the part of the provincial authorities unless these are actively supported by the whole body of local officials and gentry throughout the province, and the latter have so far, with one or two exceptions, done little or nothing to help on the movement. The doctor in charge of the Canadian Hospital at Chengtu reports that he has noticed a marked increase in the number of persons desirous of breaking off the habit.
Chinan.
His Majesty's Consul reported on the 2nd May that not very much seemed to be doing towards the suppression of opium cultivation and smoking; the opium shops are alleged to have received notice to close at the end of six months, but are doing business everywhere much as usual. The Department Magistrate at Kiaochau is said to have opened an institute in that town on the 14th March for the treatment of opium cases. In the south-west of the Province of Shantung it is reported that, in consequence chiefly of enhanced taxation, only about one-third of the previous amount of land is being cultivated with opium this year. There is a head opium depôt in the district city, with branches in about six market villages. There are twenty or thirty opium shops in the district city, and an average of three or four in each village.
Hankow.
A native newspaper announced on the 28th April that the Viceroy had lately received another despatch from the Home Office at Peking in the following sense :-
"The enforcement of the prohibition of opium smoking is a matter of imperative necessity. In the provincial capitals respectable gentry should be chosen and appointed to establish there centres of the anti-opium Societies, while in prefectures, depart- ments, and magistracies, branches of the Society should be set up. Local officials are to have no connection with the Society, except that they must be responsible for its protection. Cultivation of the poppy is not one of those offences that can be carried on secretly within closed doors; it is done in the open fields. Investigation, therefore,
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is not difficult, and we cannot understand why it has not been made before now, and district a report forwarded to us. We must ask you to issue strict injunctions to every to report to you immediately, in order that you may be enabled to reply to this Department and to assist in its investigation of the question."
Another native paper, dated the 26th April, says :-
"A despatch from the Viceroy, conveying instructions to the Treasurer and Judge on the subject of opium smoking, has just come to our notice. His Excellency says that minor officials in occupation of their posts who have the opium habit must be relieved of their duties by their superiors, who will send deputies to take over charge. To officials of fifty years of age and upwards a time limit of six months will be given, within which they must break off the habit. An officer will then be sent to examine whether they have really conquered the vice, and if he finds they have, they will be allowed to return to their posts; but if any evasion or deception is detected, they will all be cashiered."
Kashgar.
Mr. Macartney reports that the Imperial Edict and Regulations for the abolition of the use of opium have so far remained a dead letter in Kashgaria.
Kiukiang.
His Majesty's Consul reports on the 8th May that no decisive steps have been taken in the province to carry the Regulations into effect. In Kiukiang itself and the surrounding districts none of the opium shops or dens have been closed, and in all probability no diminution has taken place in the number of smokers. The officials themselves, with few exceptions, are addicted to the use of the drug in greater or less degree, and do not seem disposed to take any steps to stop the habit in themselves or others. The new Governor is an opium smoker. The area of land devoted to poppy cultivation has also not decreased, but poppy cultivation is not in any case to be reckoned as of any account in the province, the opium consumed being brought from Yünnan, Szechuan, Kuangtung, and India. The only sign that any steps had been taken by the Central Government to suppress the general use of opium was a placard in verse enjoining the giving up of the habit and exhorting non-smokers to persuade others to desist from the evil practice. The argument contained in it was to the effect that weakness resulting from use of the drug caused smokers to be easily deceived by others, and that those who did not persuade others to desist were not good patriots. The placard, however, was not a local production, and was probably sent from Chili or Shantung by an anti-opium Society. It remained on the walls in several streets for some weeks, but has now entirely disappeared. The attitude of the officials and people generally toward the Regulations seems to be sympathetic, but they regard their complete carrying out as an impossible task.
Nanking.
His Majesty's Consul reports that no practical effects of the recent anti-opium legislation are as yet apparent so far as the general public is concerned, but amongst the military and student classes effective measures for the suppression of opium smoking are said to be already in force. Rigorous investigations, too, have been set on foot, with a view to suppressing the vice amongst the official classes, and a number of expectant officials in Nanking, selected from the different provinces of the Empire, have been charged with the duty of reporting on the habits of their respective provincial colleagues. The civil officials, however, will probably be found more difficult to deal with than the soldiers and students. In the "Official Gazette" of the 2nd April the text was published of instructions issued by the Viceroy to the provincial Treasurer and others on this subject. The document is undated, but probably belongs to the beginning of the Chinese year (mid-February). These instructions deal in general terms with the importance of carrying out the legislative measures already announced, in spite of the difficulties of the task. Three months is laid down as the limit within which all offices, civil and military, and all educational establishments are
[2564 p-1]
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