[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL
[24259]
No. 1.
May 27.]
SECTION 1.
Colonial Office to Foreign Office. (Received May 27.)
Sir,
Downing Street, May 26, 1913. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, with reference to a letter from the Colonial Office, of the 24th January, copy of a despatch, with enclosures, from the Governor of Hong Kong, on the subject of opium smoking in Canton.
I am, &c.
JOHN ANDERSON.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
562
Sir,
Governor Sir D. May to Mr. Harcourt.
Hong Kong, April 25, 1918. IN continuation of previous correspondence on the subject of opium smoking in Canton, ending with my despatch of the 17th December last, I have the honour to transmit, for your information, the enclosed translation of an extract from the "Ch'i Shih Erh Hang Shang Pao" of the Ist instant, together with copy of a memorandum of the 16th idem., which His Majesty's consul-general at Canton, after consulting His Majesty's Minister at Peking at my suggestion, addressed to the tutu on the subject of the enforced destruction of stocks of prepared opium held by dealers in Canton.
I have, &c.
F. H. MAY.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Ch'i Shih Erh Hang Shang Pao" of April 1, 1913.
IMPOSITION OF TERM FOR DESTRUCTION OF PREPARED OPIUM STILL IN STOCK IN CANTON PROVINCE,
CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHIEF OF POLICE TO DISTRICT MAGISTRATES IN THEIR CAPACITY OF CHING CH'A CHANG.
I AM in receipt of instructions from the tutu which read as follows:-
The district magistrate of Hui Yang has reported the successful termination of the case of the T'ien T'ai firm, who were found to have prepared opium still in stock. You will inform the magistrates of all districts that they must circularise prepared opium shops within their jurisdiction, enjoining upon them the necessity, under penalty of fine, of destroying on their own initiative any stocks of prepared opium, which they may still possess, and of refraining from further sale of that article, such sale being now illegal."
It is true that since the inception of the opium crusade throughout the province, the majority of prepared opium dealers have already reported the cessation of their trade, nevertheless there must still be quite a number who project profit from the illicit sale of stock still in hand. In view of the stringent measures at present in force for the suppression of all forms of the opium evil, the hoarding up of stocks merely favours a recrudesence of the evil practice. In accordance with the mandate of the tutu I hereby instruct you to circularise all prepared opium shops, commanding them
[2926 dd - 1]
Jung Hea,