B
(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL
C
[March 8.3
SECTION AFGT 20
5
23 11
[8556]
No. 1.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received March 8.)
Downing Street, March 7, 1911.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you copy of despatch (with enclosure) from the Governor of the Straits Settlements on the subject of opium smoking in China.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
I am, &c.
H. BERTRAM COX.
Sir,
Governor Sir J. Anderson to Mr. Harcourt.
Singapore, February 1, 1911. I HAVE the honour to forward for your information copy of a statement on the subject of opium smoking in China, made by Mr. N. A. M. Grillin, a police probationer, who has just returned to the colony after completing his studies in Chinese at Amoy.
I have, &c.
JOHN ANDERSON.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Statement as to Opium Smoking in China.
THOUGH restrictions were put on the consumption of opium in China, it has gone on almost as badly as before. It is true that one might say in walking through Amoy city that he did not see any sign of opium or its being consumed. Ifere, however, lies the mistake. One only has to go into the various houses to discover how ranch goes on.
When I was up-country I do not know there was a single house, except the temple I resided in, that I entered that did not have the pipe tray and lamp set out entirely openly.
Not only in the Siu-tsai's and Ku-jin's houses, not only in the houses of shopmen, but also in the houses of poor people and boatmen in the greatest poverty. One can hardly blame the latter when their superiors set the example.
I was quite surprised at first, having heard such a great deal about its being stopped. The teacher I had had the craving, and whenever I went to his house he always went to his couch and puffed away merrily. I often asked him why did they not make the law more strict, and he used to reply, "Who was to do it? The officials, certainly not, as a great many of them themselves had the craving."
A friend of mine, who went up a short while ago before I did, had occasion to go to the office of the head policeman of the neighbourhood. When he was shown in, the man was just getting up after having smoked a large dose. And these are the men who are expected to stop it!
As far as consumption of opium is concerned, I should say if it has stopped at all it must be very little indeed.
However, as far as the production is concerned there has been success. The whole time I was inland I did not see the poppy at all, and what previously used to be rows and rows of poppy fields have now been done away with, and used for something less harmful to mankind.
[1930 h-2]
59
May
Page 60Page 61