J
Extract E.
(a) "The Chinese delegation demonstrated that there had been an opium question in China since the beginning of the eighteenth century, and that though many efforts had been made by the Emperors to suppress the This habit, they had signally failed. appeared to be largely due to the fact that at the critical moment when China was putting forth Herculean efforts to suppress the evil that is, at the end of the eighteenth and in the early part of the last century-the vice was fixed on her because of her inability to contend against or control the large amount of Indian opium smuggled or other- wise introduced into the country.
As the result of the clandestine introdue- tion of Indiau opium and the final legaliza- tion of the opium traffic by the Tientsin treaties (1858), negotiated after the Arrow war, general indifference prevailed through- out China, and the internal production of the drug, which had for many years been large, now assumed huge proportions." (Puge 65).
K
(b) Although no formal declaration was made as to further international action in regard to opium production, traffic, and misuse, it was nevertheless recognized that such action was necessary before the powers could congratulate themselves on having solved the problem that has loomed so large and so long in the Far East, causing war and other evil consequences not outstripped by the evil consequences of slavery." (Page 71).
8
The following passage from the report presented by the Chinese delegation shows what they actually said on these questions (1, 0. C., Fol. II., page 45)
"Foreign opium was first imported from Goa by the Portuguese in the beginning of the eighteenth century, and the first pro- hibiting edict against opium smoking was issued by the Emperor YUNG Cutno in 1729, enacting severe penalties on the sale of opinn and the opening of opium-smoking divans, and from this time on the sale of opium for the purpose of smoking became a criminal offence. In 1729 the arrivals of foreign oplum were but 200 chests, but a constant increase followed each year, and by 1790 the importation had reached the figure of over 4,000 chests. In 1796 an edict formally prohibiting the importation of all opium was issued, and in 1800 this prohibitory edict was issued anew. From that date all trade in opium became contraband. Instead of diminishing, the trade flourished in spite of the prohibition, and by the year 1820 the importation amounted to 5,000 chests. By 1830 it had increased to 16,877 chests, by 1838 to 20,619 chests, by 1850 to 50,000 chests, and in 1858 to 70,000 chests. In November of the last-mentioned year the trade was legalized by China and a tariff rate of Hk. Tls. 30 per picul on opium was chargeable thereafter. While there can be little doubt that this legalization of the opium traffic was contrary to the wishes of the Imperial Family and the enlightened classes in China, the country was then in the throes of the greatest rebellion over experi- enced in its history and revenue was badly needed, It was recognized that as the contraband trade continued in spite of the Imperial disfavour, it would be best to legalize it as the choice of two evils, and this was accordingly done,
The next step in the history of opium is found in the Chefoo Convention of 1876, by which the British Government accepted in principle a proposal that inland taxation (likin) on the drug should be collected simultaneously with the import duty, ie, by the Imperial, and not the provincial, authori- ties. This was made effective by an Addi- tional Article signed on 18th July, 1885, by which the amount of likin was settled at Hk. Tls. 80 per pioul, making, with the import duty, a total of Hk. Tls. 110 per picul, which the Chinese Government now collects,"
Extract F.
9
Appendix II.
EXTRACTS PROM DR. WRIGHT'S REPORT.
"The British delegates presented data show- ing that...........in the Crown colony of the Straits Settlements and in the protected Felerated Malay States a commission recent-
appointed had reported on the opium vice as seen there, the report being somewhat favourable to the continuance of the opium farm by which the Government disposed of opinm and acquired a large revenue." (Page 67).
Extract G.
"Resolution 6 was unfortunate in that it declared that the International Commission was not constituted in such a manner as to permit the investigation from a scientific point of view of anti-opium remedies, and the properties and effects of opium, for there were several delegates in the commission who were competent to pronounce on the subject. The Japanese Government anticip- ating such an investigation had sent as part of its delegation two eminent scientists who for many years have been in charge of the Japanese Government monopoly for the manufacture of opium and its preparations used in medicine. However, it developed that the principles of the moral and economic dangers of the misuse of opium were not to be endangered by this resolution, and opposit ion was waived for the sake of barmony." (Pages 70-71).
The following is an extract* from the Straits Settlements Commission's own sum- mary of its findings (Report, Vol. 1, para. 342):-
"We find that the vast majority of smokers indulge to an extent that may properly be called moderate, and that excessive indulg. ence occurs only in isolated instances.*
We find that there has been no increase in the prevalence of the habit, and in this we include use in moderation and use in excess, during the past decade.
We do not find it proved that the evils arising from the use of opinm have in any way increased during the past decade. We consider, however, that the circumstances surrounding the use of opium justify the Government in maintaining a closer and stricter control over it and we therefore re- commend that the present system of farming the opium revenue be abolished and that a Government monopoly of the preparation and distribution of chandu be substituted ”
The following is also extracted from the samo report (para. 3104):
"We have up to the present refrained from consideration of the purely fiscal side of the opium question, and our arguments on the question of probibition are based entirely on consideration of the facts that the evils aris- ing from the use of opium in the areas with which the commission has had to deal are not sufficiently widespread or acute as to justify legislative probibition of the nse of opium! and that popular desire for such legislation has not yet reached such an advanced stage as to render a policy of that nature desirable.”
This question in a somewhat different form was first voted upon in the 6th Session (see 1. Q, G., Fol. I, page 31).
It was again discussed and voted in
upon the 8th and 9th Sessions (see pages 36-38, ibid) on the following resolution moved by the Chinese delegate
"That a committee consisting of five delegates be appointed to consider and report on the medical aspects of the opium question, including the best methods of curing the opinn habit without recourse to the drag or any of its derivatives."
The following is an extract from the speech of Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, the senior British delegate, and from the subsequent proceedings
There was one dissentient from the principles adopted in this report. The portion of the summury of recommendations not reproduced in this extract relatos to the use of opiam in brothels, the arrangements for shops, sales to women and children, and the price of chs nan.
The Commission then proceeded to deal separately with financial considerations, finally recording (para graph 321) that these also led; them to a conclusion adverse to prohibition.
586