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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.j
11
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[May 29.]
SECTION 3.
C.O. 22376
RECR
Rege 5 JUL 09
[20144]
(No. 9.) Sir,
No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 29.)
Yunnan-fu, April 8, 1909. I HAVE the honour to forward herewith, a copy of my Opium Report for th quarter ended the 31st March, addressed to Flis Majesty's Minister at Peking (Peking General No. 16 of the 6th April).
I have, &c.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
E. C. WILTON.
(No. 16.) Sir,
Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir J. Jordan.
Yunnan-fu, April 6, 1909. I HAVE the honour to enclose an abstract of four Opium Reports furnished by missionary residents in Yünnan. The gist of these reports conveys the impression that some headway has been, and is being, made to combat opium in this province.
No information is available as to the state of affairs in south, south-west, and central Yünnan. Whether the restrictions against opium cultivation and consumption are being earnestly carried out is open to question. I am inclined to believe that a decrease, but not marked, has taken place.
I have received no information from the Province of Kueichou. The officials are very reticent as to the progress of the crusade against opium in that province. The acting Governor-General, Shen-ping-k'un, is generally spoken of as the new Governor for Kueichou. From his remarks to me, I gather that he is by no means anxious to go there, as the opium problem is very difficult and has not yet been grappled with.
After the departure of Hsi Liang (25th February), some local attempts were made at trying it on with his successor. The latter acted promptly, and exposed one of his official servants for three days in a cage for being the owner of a secret opium den. He has also issued orders to search for secreted stores of opium. On the 30th March, a house close to this consulate-general was raided, and 100 liang (83 lb.) of prepared opium, and 34 liang (3 lb.) of dross were seized. The two tenants, belonging to the lower classes, were arrested and severely bambooed. Shen-ping-k'un has, I am informed, instructed the magistrates that loans advanced to opium growers by prospective buyers need not be enforced. Some excitement was caused by the dispatch of 300 soldiers to Hsian-wei-chou, 144 miles to the north-east of Yunnan-fu. The provincial judge, who is also acting as administrator of foreign affairs, explained to me that the soldiers had been sent to assist the peasants in uprooting their opium plants, and that compensation would be given to the latter. It is probable that this move is the beginning of a policy to station small bodies of troops in places where opium is now being cultivated. The provincial authorities fear trouble if the rice crops should be below the average this year.
The winter crops of beans have not done well owing to a scarcity of rain, and it is likely that the wheat crop will be a
poor one.
I have also the honour to enclose two extracts from the "North China Herald (Shanghae), dated the 6th February and the 13th March, respectively. The correspondent is Mr. Amundsen, a Norwegian subject, employed by the Bible Society in Yunnan. He left Yünnan-fu on the 22nd December last for Ssumao, returning at the close of January. After a stay of a few days, he proceeded to Talifu and returned by the Pin chuan route in March. In bis telegram of the 3rd February, Mr. Amundsen gives statements made to him by Hsi Liang. I have the honour to offer a few remarks on these statements, but I do not propose to deal with inaccuracies which seem to me of minor importance as affecting the main question of the reduction of opium smoking
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