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of Chowchih are already gathering a tax on the land sown with opium, and an office for collecting a tax on opium sold has been opened. Besides Chowchih, Hingping, Wukung, Huhsien and Meihsien are all growing the crop this year. being exhorted to plough up wheat and peas and sow spring opium in order that a People are large sum may be paid in taxes to the Tuchun. Last year's crop was almost entirely bought by Honan soldiers and taken by them into Honan. Letters have been received by His Majesty's Legation from Chinese as well as foreign residents of that province deploring this evil, the entire blame for which is placed on Tuchun Chen Shu-fan.
Now, therefore, that the Chinese Government are in a better position to restore order in Shensi, His Majesty's Legation trust that one of their first actions will be the total suppression of the opium cultivation, in order that the province may revert to the happier condition in which it was found to be in 1917.
March 29, 1919
My Lord,
No. 35.
Sir J. Jordan to Earl Curzon.-(Received June 19.)
Peking, April 30, 1919.
I HAVE sought to keep you informed of such general data with regard to the cultivation of opium in the provinces as reaches me from time to time.
I have just received a letter from Mr. Eastes, now on his way from Tengyueh to take up his duties as acting consul-general at Chengtu, which is of distinct value from this point of view. Mr. Eastes is making the journey across country, and has thus travelled through a large part of Yunnan and of Szechuan on his way to his new post.
Writing from Li-Chou-Kai, in Southern Szechuan, on the 19th March, he records that during his 33 days' journey through Yunnan it was only on the last half-day that he saw any poppy fields at all, and then only five. But once across the Yang-tsze and into Szechuan it was a very different story. Poppy was to be seen on all sides, planted without the smallest attempt at concealment. It was in evidence all along the road, in huge patches stretching up the terraced slopes as far as the eye could reach.
Mr. Eastes states that so far as he has been able to discover there never has been any real effort at eradication along the route which he has just followed. and a half days' travel in Szechuan he has covered over 150 miles, mostly up the In eight Chiench'ang valley, which the local Taoyin's proclamations-none more recent than 1917-admitted to be famous for poppy production. proportion of fields under poppy at anything up to 30 per cent., on some areas Mr. Eastes estimates the certainly as much as 50 per cent.
This information is exceedingly unsatisfactory, and only adds cogency to the representations which I am just addressing to the Chinese Government, calling attention to the recrudescence of cultivation in the provinces.
I have, &c.
No. 36.
J. N. JORDAN.
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province in question, and the Military Governor is still pursuing a policy of open defiance to the authority of the Central Government, whilst the condition of his province is a growing menace to the peace of the country,
I have, &c.
Enclosure in No. 36.
Sir J. Jordan to Wai-chiao Pu.
J. N. JORDAN.
Sir,
Peking, April 29, 1919. HIS Majesty's Government have learnt with much concern that in various provinces of China a recrudesence of opium cultivation has taken place during the last few years. This fact is so notorious throughout China that it is not necessary for me to enter into any detail in referring to it. Various instances have by my instructions been brought to your Excellency's notice from time to time as they have been reported to me. But I would mention that, in addition to Kiangsu, Fukien, Anhui, Hunan, Szechuan, Yunnan, Kueichow, Manchuria and Hsinchiang-from all of which provinces I have received reports of widespread cultivation and traffic in the drug which unfortunately leave no room to doubt their accuracy- -the province of Shensi provides a particularly flagrant example of retrogression. Reliable reports have reached me from many sources in that province, both Chinese and foreign, and all go to show that not only is cultivation taking place on a large scale, but that it is either openly encouraged or secretly connived at by officials appointed by your Excellency's own Government, the Tuchun of the province being himself the principal culprit in this respect.
In considering these facts, I venture to remind your Excellency that by the Agreement of 1911 the Chinese Government bound themselves to diminish the production of home-grown opium pari passu with the diminished importation of opium from India, and that, moreover, for more than a year past the import of Indian opium into China has entirely ceased. The cessation has been enforced by His Majesty's Government solely on the understanding that opium production in China had likewise come to an end, and they cannot but regard its recrudescence as a grave infringement of a solemn pledge entered into by the Chinese Government. Against this infringement I am instructed to enter a most emphatic and earnest protest. I would remind your Excellency that in subscribing to the 1911 Agreement, His Majesty's Government were actuated by motive of assisting the Chinese Govern- ment to overcome what was commonly regarded throughout the world as a national vice. Should the attainment of this object be frustrated by the failure of the Chinese Government to sustain its part of the agreement, it is hardly necessary for me to point out the very grave responsibility which it will incur before its own people and the world at large.
The deliberate encouragement of the opium traffic in Shensi and other provinces by the responsible authorities suggests to the public opinion of foreign countries an impression of disunion in this country which is most unfortunate in China's national interests. I trust, therefore, that the Central Government will forthwith take steps to remove this impression, and will not hesitate to make an example of Governors like the Tuchun of Shensi, who are openly encouraging the growth of opium within their jurisdiction.
I avail, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
My Lord,
Sir J. Jordan to Earl Curzon.-(Received July 9.)
Peking, May 5, 1919.
I HAVE addressed to the Wai-chino Pu a note, copy of which I have the honour to enclose, reminding the Foreign Minister that information continues to reach me to the effect that the recrudescence of poppy cultivation is apparent in a number of provinces, and that such cultivation, following upon the total cessation of the import of Indian opium, consitutes a grave infringement of the solemn pledges entered into by the Chinese Government.
Since the despatch of that note, I have received from the Wai-chiao Pu a note, in which the Chinese Government admit the spread of cultivation in the province of Shensi, but state that a policy of suppression is being introduced pari passu with the suppression of internal disorder.
It is unfortunate that little evidence is forthcoming as to the pacification of the
No. 37.
Sir J. Jordan to Earl Curzon (Received August 2.)
My Lord,
Peking, June 11, 1919. WITH reference to my despatch of the 30th April last, I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch written by Mr. Teichman from Tachienlu reporting the result of his personal observations during his journey between that place and Chengtu. I also enclose a memorandum by Mr. Eastes, acting consul- general at Chengtu, dealing with the facts revealed by Mr. Teichman.
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