[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
犬
RESP
322
Res 23 NOV 09,
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[39095]
No. 1.
[October 23.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received October 23.)
Downing Street, October 22, 1909.
you, for I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to the information of Secretary Sir Edward Grey, with reference to letter from the Colonial Office of the 21st July, copy of a despatch from the governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the suppression of the opium habit in China.
I am, &c.
FRANCIS J. S. HOPWOOD.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. Lugard to the Earl of Crewe.
My Lord,
Government House, Hong Kong, September 11, 1909. IN view of the interest taken by His Majesty's Government in the suppression of the opium habit in China, I have the honour to submit the following notes taken from the returns of trade for 1908 (volume ii, Yang-tsze ports), issued by the Chinesc Imperial maritime customs and just received by me.
2. Mr. Acheson, the acting commissioner of customs at Chungking (Szechuan), reports that "the opium crop turned out most satisfactorily." There was an increase of 58 per cent. in the export of native opium from Chungking, viz., 16,429 piculs in 1908, as compared with 10,378 piculs in 1907, while it was reported that over 11,000 piculs of native opium were passed through the Foochow office at the new Mr. Acheson adds that at the date of his report (27th February, 1909) year season. seventy-three opium dens had been allowed to register and continue business,
3. Mr. Lay, the commissioner of customs at Ichang, reports that native opium whereas arriving from Chungking by chartered junks reached 17,132 piculs last year,
"The increase," he adds, in 1907 only 9,841 piculs had arrived from Chungking. "is due to the excellent crops obtained and to the high prices offered by buyers in the Lower Yang-tsze ports." Mr. Lay further states that "the opium dens were (nominally) closed by proclamation on the 10th September, 1908; but the drug was surreptitiously obtained nevertheless."
4. While native-grown opium thus increased it is reported from Kiukiang that the total import of foreign "opium was 380 piculs less than in 1907, and from Changsha that "the importation of foreign opium decreased by one-half." Similarly, in volume iii of the publication above referred to, Mr. Hobson, the commissioner of customs at Shanghae reports that the quantity of foreign opium imported in Shanghae in 1908 was 4,537 piculs less than in the previous year, while the import of ̈ native opium increased by 8,640 piculs during the same period.
5. Your Lordship will no doubt desire to obtain information from authentic sources; and it would appear from these extracts that the Chinese standards are not being well maintained.
I have, &c.
F. D. LUGARD.
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