6.0
}
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(
[49544]
No. 1.
416
[November 21.]·
SECTION 1.
(No. 436.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 21.)
ទេព
Peking, November 4, 1912. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith translation of a Presidential order published a few days ago in the Official Gazette," affirming the adherence of the present Chinese Government to the policy of suppressing the cultivation and smoking of opium.
I received a telegram from the opium importers at Shanghai taking exception to the passage at the end of the third paragraph, which enjoins upon smokers the necessity of breaking themselves of the habit and upon dealers of ceasing their trade. The opium importers urged that measures should be adopted to have this passage withdrawn.
On careful consideration of the whole order, I came to the conclusion that there was nothing in it to which exception could be legitimately taken, and I have informed the Shanghai importers accordingly. I have, however, seized the occasion of this pronouncement to renew to the Chinese Government a request I have already made without success, namely, that instructions should be sent to the provinces reaffirming the explanation of the provisions of the opium agreement given in the circular telegram from the Wai-wu Pu of the 15th June, 1911.
I have the honour to enclose copy of a memorandum which I have addressed to the Wai-chiao Pu in this sense.
dia
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
(Translation.)
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Gazette" of October 28, 1912.
PRESIDENTIAL ORDER.
IT is impossible to overestimate the baneful effects of the opium habit, which destroys a man's vitality, endangers his life, and squanders his possessions. Especially in opium-growing districts, which offer greater facilities for smoking, young and old of both sexes are contaminated with this vice; useful crops are forced to give place to the all-destroying weed; what is in reality a poison is looked on as an excellent medicine, and as the cultivation of corn and grain decreases the number of idlers and vagabonds is multiplied. Gradually a famine spreads, the corpses of those who have died of starvation fill the countryside, the population diminishes, the markets are deserted- in short, a peril arises which threatens to annihilate both our country and our race.
An end must be put to this state of affairs. The penal laws at present in force contain special clauses against manufacturing, trading in, concealing and cultivating opium, full and explicit provisions being made to tap the evil at the root and prevent it from spreading,
Since last year the continued disorder in most of the provinces has given the local authorities no leisure to pay careful attention to this matter, and it is reported in consequence that many of those who used formerly to make their living out of opium, attracted by the prospect of enormous profits, have to some extent gone back to their old ways, inviting ridicule abroad and increasing the poverty and weakness at home. As long as this evil exists China cannot hope to prosper. All the civil authorities are, therefore, hereby ordered to issue once again the most stringent injunctions to the people to cut themselves adrift from this baneful practice: if smokers, to break themselves at once of the habit; if dealers, to cease their trade as the circumstances of each case permit.
More important than all is that, now being what was in former days the proper season for planting the poppy, the people should be most earnestly exhorted to sow
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