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however, matters have assumed a different aspect. The consumption of opium in our country is to be suppressed within ten years, and a proportionate reduction in its importation has to be made yearly within the same period. The order has already been enforced, and as the stream is being gradually "dried up at the source, it would > naturally cease to flow in due time.
you
When the order was first enforced year before last, serious excesses were committed by local officials and their subordinates everywhere, and particularly within the boundaries of Nanking so much so that the lives of shop-keepers dealing in raw or prepared opium were in jeopardy. These facts were within your knowledge, and kindly made representations to your honourable consul-general, who, we understand communicated with his Excellency Tuan Fang, the then Viceroy of Nanking, informing him of the molestations to merchants which were against treaty regulations. Subsequently we learnt from you that a reply was received by your consul from the Viceroy that proper regulations would be made to avoid any harm to the foreign opium trade. In spite of the operation of the suppression measures all the opium hongs still endeavoured to carry on their business in conformity with the regulations, and distribute the opium imported by you both Malwa and Bengal within the said period of ten years, after which this business would be given up and other occupation followed. Unexpectedly hundreds of ways were devised to defraud and oppress opium dealers, and their position has now become almost intolerable. In the different villages and towns of Tien-tsin, Kiukiang, Wuhu, Nanking, Chinkiang, Yangchow, Sooehow, Hangchow, Ningpo, &c., all the opium hongs have been repeatedly and groundlessly humiliated by the local officials and their runners, who on the pretext of performing their official duties have sought to gratify their own interests. Extortion and forcible orders to close are of daily occurrence; those giving bribes in cash being temporarily left unmolested. Runners post themselves outside the shop to ill-treat and threaten the shop-keepers, and sometimes in remote villages even venturing to enter and snatch up prepared and raw opium.
On all foreign opium sold by opium shops stamps are affixed showing that they have undergone the custom's examinations, and all duties and li-kin have been duly paid, so it could not possibly be alleged to be smuggled cargo, which the runners do, and on pretext of confiscation convert it to their own use to satisfy their own avarice. The fact that heavier taxes promote the suppression of the drug is another pretext everywhere for the imposition of additional taxes and levying of heavy fines without considering that after the payment of customs duties and li-kin foreign opium is subject to no further taxation. Such imposition of additional taxes is not only a direct infringe- ment of treaty regulations but a clear disobedience to the Imperial decree. Furthermore there are other grievances which we are not able to describe properly. Under the circumstances which we merchants have experienced, although we are aware that the period limited has not yet expired, and foreign opium could still be disposed of every- where, such grievances for which no redress could be obtained have become unbearable. In cases of fine, several tenfolds are imposed; in cases of confiscation total loss of capital. Therefore, although consumption is still required of foreign opium, all the merchants are afraid to deal with it, and are contemplating to cancel all orders and take up other lines of business.
The expiry of the said period of ten years is yet far away, but such widespread molestation is a matter beyond imagination. Merchants are desirous of dealing in opium but are afraid of receiving groundless outrages the result of which would be the loss of their properties and families.
Therefore, unless all the opium is disposed of as soon as possible, when the expiry of the period approaches, you would, as a inatter of course, press us to take delivery. This is the difficult position in which we are. We have calculated and found that the total number of chests of opium ordered by merchants from your honourable firms is about 4,000 chests. This is a big figure and involves large sums of money, but time is
limited.
Under these difficulties, and in order to avoid our inability to raise money when the time comes, we beg to submit the fact to you and ask you to cancel all the orders. But we are unwilling to sit idle and enjoy the scene which must follow. We wish to know whether you could communicate the above state of affairs and our grievances to your honourable consul-general and Minister, and request them to refer this matter to the Chinese Government by wire, and to ask the Chinese Government for an order that the regulations laid down for the purpose should be complied with; no additional taxes or fines beyond reason be imposed, and no extortion and molestations be practised, so that no injury could be done to the trade in foreign opium and all opium ordered by
merchants could be disposed of. For this reason we trust that it will meet with your serious consideration, and we shall consider it a blessing if anything could be done.
SHANGHAI OPIUM GUILD.
P.S.-We have received information from Tien-tsin and other places in North China to the effect that only prepared opium is allowed to be sold in these places, and the circulation of raw opium ("Bengal and Malwa ") is prohibited. This is also a violation of the treaty regulations, and we beg to leave this to your discretion to find a solution of the difficulty.
SHANGHAI OPIUM GUILD.
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