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Certain of those valleys were, however, too high for the cultivation of poppy, and, if I could have obtained any proper information on the subject, I would have takeu another and lower route; but, on the whole, I think the numerous valleys which were sufficiently low for the cultivation of the poppy, and where, I am assured, three years ago it was the principal crop, were quite representative, and afforded good evidence of the vigorous action of the officials.
At Hofeng I encountered considerable difficulty in persuading the delegates and the Hofeng magistrate that my proposed route was not only possible, but was the only route I intended to follow. The terrors of bandits, ferocious animals, uninhabited regions, impassable roads, and no stopping places were all paraded in their most awful forms. When, however, they were satisfied that there was only one way out of Extra coolies to carry the it, preparations for the road I proposed were made.
rations for our bearers and extra baggage coolies were engaged, natives of the districts we were about to cross were requisitioned to act as guides, and certain members of the party, I think, commended their souls to God, for they feared the
unknown.
This district did not, it is true, possess anything to boast of in the way of roads. Mountain tracks, up and down which no one had ever considered the possibility of taking a chair, were our portion. If the truth be told, however, the roads from Changyang to Changlo and thence to Hofeng were all of the same type, and seemed to be designed with a view to dissuade anyone from ever attempting the passage twice. From Hofeng to Ching Chi-kow, on a tributary of the Ch'ing Chiang, we travelled in the jurisdiction of the Hofeng magistrate, but at Ching Chi-k'ow on one side of the river the country recognised the Chien shih magistrate, and on the other the Patung magistrate.
Through this wild country of highly cultivated fields and large tea plantations we travelled for four days. Poppy, up to three years before, had been the principal crop, but now
was unable to discover any. Stopping at Niu Chia ssu, one day out from Hofeng, I met a Cantonese tea merchant who had come to this district year after year for the last forty years. He reported that up to three years ago poppy was the chief crop, but that two years ago the amount cultivated had been largely reduced, and last year he had seen none. He had only just arrived at Niu Chia ssu for the tea season, and could consequently give me no information for the present year.
On certain parts of the road, when it rose high on the mountain slopes, we passed through lands which were only just being tilled, for there are large tracts of the country which have only one crop a year.
To Yeh San-kuan from Ching Chi-k'ow the road runs similarly through lands where the crops were either well forward or were not yet planted. Nowhere could I detect any poppy, though it is possible that a few plants may have been scattered in the midst of large fields of peas or beans. These are the means by which farmers in certain districts cultivate small quantities of opium in the face of official opposition.
From Yeh San-kuan to Yeh Hua-p'ing the road passes still through similar fields to what have been already described From Yeh Hua-p'ing to Patung, where I took boat for Ichang, the road ran high on the hilltops, and one obtained a fine view of the cultivated valleys below. Nowhere did I see any signs of poppy, the land either being filled with peas, beans, rape, potatoes or wheat, or lying empty waiting for the spring sowing
At Patung the investigation practically came to an end, for the poppy would never be planted on the slopes of the Great River, though, of course, on the way down I kept my eyes open for any signs of the poppy.
My journey finished late in the evening of the twentieth day. I was uncertain as to how long I would take coming down river from Patung. I allowed two days, but by leaving my house-boat and getting into a fast red boat I was enabled to arrive one day earlier.
During the twenty days of my journey I covered a comparatively small distance when counted by miles. The roads, however, were such that if I had been carried There were a even half the way, I would have travelled a much shorter distance. number of days when I walked practically the whole time, and even then the chair with six bearers was a long way behind. The delegates were in exactly the same position, though all being much lighter men, and using chairs with two bearers instead of four, they were enabled to keep up better.
As late as the middle of March of this year, when it was decided to inspect this
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province, vigorous action was taken by the officials to stamp out every vestige of poppy. Two men were executed in Changyaug, and two men in Hofeng. At Changlo a man on whose ground two or three plants were found was sentenced to death, but at the last moment his sentence was moderated, and he was branded and led through the town and adjoining districts loaded with chains. As be was a man of good position this was considered sufficient, as the amount discovered was so small. At Ichang, whilst I was away about the middle of April, a man was shot for having planted poppy at San tou p'in iuland from the Yang-tsze some 30 miles above Ichang.
The districts through which I travelled were formerly those where considerable quantities of opium were produced. I saw no signs of poppy, and my route was taken without in any way giving the Chinese officials an opportunity of leading me along a prepared district. In fact, the views from the mountain tracks were so extended that the preparation of a route would have required a very considerable time. I am accordingly of the opinion that this province, taking the district through which I travelled as a sample, is free of poppy.
Ichang, May 4, 1914.
Enclosure 3 in No. 16.
H. F. HANDLEY-DERRY.
Sir J. Jordan to Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Sir,
Peking, May 15, 1914. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have received a report from Mr. Acting Consul Handley-Derry on the tour of investigation for opium poppy cultivation recently made in Hupei province under the terms of the 1911 Opium Agreement.
Mr. Derry reports that no poppy was found by the investigating party, and I therefore have the honour to inform your Excellency that I propose to prohibit the importation of Indian opium into Hupei province as from the 1st June, 1914.
I avail, &c.
Sir,
No. 17.
J. N. JORDAN.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 9.)
Peking, May 25, 1914. WITH reference to my despatch of the 17th January last, I have the honour to report that the investigation of the province of Chekiang for opium poppy cultivation, in accordance with the provisions of the Opium Agreement of May 1911, has been completed, and that the investigation has failed to discover any poppy cultivation,
I have the honour to enclose herewith copy of a report by Mr. Consul J. I. Smith on the trip of investigation.
The inspection having thus proved satisfactory, I am notifying the Chinese Government in a letter, copy of which is enclosed herewith, that the importation of Indian opium into the province of Chekiang will be prohibited as from the 16th June,
1914.
In my despatch of the 8th December last I had the honour to report my refusal to accede to the request of the Chinese Government that Honan should be placed on the prohibited list. The reason for this refusal was not on account of any cultiva- tion of opium poppy within the province, but on account of the importation of native opium into the province.
Recent reports testify to the effective employment of suppressive measures in Honan, and the absence of poppy cultivation in the province is maintained. I have therefore decided that it is unnecessary to hold a special investigation of the province of Honan, and I have accordingly conveyed to the Wai-chiao Pu my assent to its inclusion in the list of provinces into which the import of Indian opium is prohibited, the prohibition, as in the case of Chekiang, to date from the 16th June next.
I avail, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
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