79
2
Shanghai. Roughly speaking, Shanghai takes 30 per cent. of the total import, Canton 20 per cent., Swatow, Amoy, and Foochow, 20 per cent, and the Yang-tsze ports-- Chinkiang-Hankow 11 per cent., and Kowloon and Lappa (for the West River and Macao) 4 per cent. The frontier ports-Lungchow, Mengtze, Ssumao, and Tengyueh take no foreign opium, nor, with the exception of Changsha, do the Yang-tsze ports west of Hanknow. The import of foreign opium into Manchurian ports has virtually ceased, and Tientsin takes an inconsiderable quantity.
The total import of foreign opium into China in 1910 was, according to the customs returns, 35,357 piculs, as compared with 48,875 piculs in 1909, made up of
Malwa
Patna
Banares
Other kinds (chiefly Persian)
10,584 chests.
13,183
多要
6,988
35
627 pieuls.
The total Indian import was therefore 30,705 chests, or nearly 5,000 chests less than the amount which it was estimated, under the arrangement for progressive reduction of the export from India, would come to China during the year 1910. It should be noted, however, that the above figures refer to opium that actually passed the customs, ie., was taken out of bond; heavy stocks, amounting to over 10,200 chests, are under- stood to have been still in bond at Shangbai at the end of the year.
The customs valuation of the 1910 import cannot be ascertained, as the returns from the ports are not yet complete, but judging by the prices given in the consular reports, the average c.i.f. value of Indian opium for the past year may safely be taken as rather more than double that of 1909, which was 730 Haikwan taels a picul. Allowing 1,550 taels a picul, this would give a total value of 54,803,350 Haikwan ́taels (7,378,471) for the 1910 import, or just over 19,000,000 taels (2,558,0731) more than the 1909 total.
The customs duty and li-kin, at the rate of 110 taels per picul, amounted to 3,903,656 taels (525,5701), a decrease of 1,467,001 taels (197,5104).
The following is a brief summary of the reports received from His Majesty's
consuls: --
Pakhoi-The trade, which is in native hands, decreased by 50 per cent. in volume, the import for 1910 being 122 piculs. Prices, however, rose steadily from 800 taels in January to 1,250 taels in December. In June the new "prepared opium levy" of 7 dols. 20 c. per ball was farmed out to a syndicate of importers. This syndicate was wound up in November, and the tax is now paid either by the purchaser through the importer, who procures the boiling licence, or direct to the Investigation Bureau.
Mr. Handley-Derry notes a tendency for the opium trade of Pakhoi to be absorbed by the neighbouring free port of Kwangchowwan.
The
Swatow His Majesty's consul reports that the leading Chinese dealers - there are no foreign importers of opium-describe the year's trade as unsatisfactory. imposition of the new prepared opium tax of 7 dol. 20 c. per ball (which has from the beginning of the new Chinese year been raised to 12 dollars per ball) has laid an additional burden on the trade, already severely handicapped by the smuggling which is carried on from Amoy. The outlooks for 1911 is stated to be gloomy, and many of the opium hongs are finding themselves obliged to take up other lines of business in order to make a living. The import in 1910, 5,656 piculs, dropped 62 per cent. in volume as compared with 1909, while prices rose from an average of 900 dollars a chest to 2,220 dollars a chest. In Swatow itself, Mr. Tours was informed that the daily consumption had fallen from eleven to three chests a-day, and that consequently, in spite of enhanced prices, the profits made had been small.
very
Amoy His Majesty's consul states that the action of the Indian Government in reducing sales, coupled with the wave of gambling that swept over China, made 1910 a very speculative year. The Chinese dealers are reported to have made profits amounting to about 500,000 dollars, but foreign merchants did not share in these profits. The total imports, 3,204 piculs, shows a decrease of only 334 piculs as compared with 1909, but the value rose by over 100 per cent. Prices fluctuated violently during the year, Bengal opium ranging from 1,500 dollars to 3,000 per picul.
Foochow His Majesty's consul reports that in the latter half of 1908, and up to July 1909 very heavy losses were incurred by both foreign and Chinese merchants Then from August 1909 to March 1910 most prosperous times were experienced, the like of which will perhaps never be seen again. From April to August 1910 the worst five months on record were passed, all former profits being swallowed up. From September to the end of the year conditions improved, but the trade was interfered with
3
by the establishment of an opium monopoly, consisting of certain officially controlled boiling shops, to which importers were obliged to sell their opium. The import of Indian opium decreased by 25 per cent., Persian remaining steady. Prices varied between 1,400 dollars and 2,800 dollars per picul, with a general upward tendency.
Mr. Werner remarks that the consumption of foreign opium in Foochow is visibly decreasing, on account of the rise in price and the monopoly. He considers that the monopoly will before long extinguish the trade altogether by causing, by continually enhanced price, decline of imports from India, and decreased cultivation of the Chinese
poppy.
Hangchow-The import through the Imperial Maritime Customs fell from 1,034 piculs in 1909, to 363 in 1910, but His Majesty's consul explains that these figures are misleading, as dealers, partly as a protest against the rigorous enforcement of the anti-opium regulations by the local officials, and partly because they are no longer able to obtain a rebate of duty from the Superintendent of Trade, have taken to paying import duties at Shanghai and shipping to Hangchow in native craft. The retail price of the drug has almost doubled during the last five years, Patua having risen to 2,800 dollars per chest and Malwa to 2,500 dollars chest.
per
Mr. Savage says that on the whole the volume of the opium trade in the Hangchow district has declined very considerably during the past year, and he thinks that the foreign merchants interested in the trade must have lost heavily. They claim that, having large stocks on their hands, they cannot stop their purchases in India so long as the sales continue without incurring the risk of creating a slump in the price of the drug. For this reason they would profer, if the prohibitive action of the Chinese authorities continues unchecked, to see the output from India curtailed even more rapidly than is being done at present,
Chinkiang.His Majesty's consul states that there has been an average decrease of 421 piculs per annum in the quantity of Indian opium imported during the past three years, while prices show a remarkable increase, having risen from 827 taels per picul in 1909 to 1,582 taels per picul in 1910. These Chinese dealers have, he thinks, made slight profits during the past year.
Nanking. His Majesty's consul reports that there was a decrease of 28 per cent, in the imports of Indian opium from Shanghai. He estimates the import at 829 piculs, but exact returns are not obtainable, as most of the opium comes in by train and is passed through the li-kin office, where no accurate records are kept. The import by train for 1909 was 1,157 piculs, a record amount due, Mr. Wilkinson believes, to the curtailment of the production of the native drug, the retail price of which hari doubled in that year, while foreign opium had only increased 20 per cent. in value. 1910 the price of the foreign drug averaged 70 per cent. higher than in the previous year, resulting in the lowest import on record since the opening of Nanking to foreign
trade in 1899.
In
Kiukiang- -His Majesty's consul states that the foreign opium consumed in the port is principally Malwa. The import in 1910 being 1,216 piculs as against 1,438 in the previous year. Prices in 1909 averaged 800-900 tales per chest ; in 1910 they rose to 2,000 per chest.
The trade is in the hands of native dealers, who are reported
to have made large profits last year.
Hankow. His Majesty's consul reports that the trade is in the hands of native dealers, who betray extreme reluctance to reveal the inner workings of their business. The import in 1910 fell from 183 piculs in 1909 to 86 piculs; prices steadily rising from 700 taels in 1908 to 2,000 taels in 1910. The price receded during the latter half of 1910, probably in sympathy with the slump in native opium due to the excessive accumulation of stocks. At the close of the year prices showed an upward tendency, owing to the clearing off of native stocks in view of the difficulty of obtaining fresh supplies.
Changsha.- His Majesty's consul states that the customs returns do not represent the actual amount of Indian opium imported as there is considerable smuggling, stimulated by the exceptionally high prices now ruling, and much is brought in by native boat. The customs returns show a total import of 154 piculs in 1910 as against 196 in 1909, values having risen from 700 taels to 1,568 tacls. Retail prices were, Mr. Giles points out, considerably higher.
Chefoo. His Majesty's consul states that there was a heavy decline, amounting to 80 per cent. in the quantity of Indian opium imported in 1910, the figures being 133 piculs as against 757 piculs. Mr. Barr attributes this decline to reduced exports from India, the accumulation of stocks in 1909 when prices were low and the high prices ruling when the time came for dealers to replenish their stocks.
[1973 c-1]
Prices rose from
B 2
May