118
I regret to state, however, that there is no indication that the Fukien authorities have paid any attention to such admonitions as may have been addressed to them by the Central Government, the latest reports received from His Majesty's consul at Foochow tending to show that opium cultivation is at least as wide-spread, and as free from official interference, as it was last year. Copies of three despatches ou the subject from His Majesty's consul at Foochow are enclosed for your Lordship's information.
Whilst realising that under existing political conditions but little effective control can be exercised by Peking over recalcitrant provincial officials, I shall continue to impress upon the Chinese Government its responsibility for the flagrant neglect of duty in the matter of opium suppression displayed by the high authorities of Fukien and other provinces,
119
The Anti-Opium Society is supposed to be collecting fur her evidence of the existence of the poppy, but their report is still not yet ready.
It is doubtful whether the Governor is really willing or able to exercise any real power over his subordinates who, waxing rich ou their gains, seem determined to ignore his orders, and unless the Central Government can find some way of putting on the screw there would appear no probability of this province being free from opium cultivation at an early date.
I have, &c.
H. PHILLIPS,
I bave, &c.
B. ALSTON.
Enclosure 2 in No. 53.
Consul Phillips to Sir B. Alaton.
|
Sir,
Enclosure in No. 53.
Consul Phillips to Sir B. Alston.
Foochow, March 14, 1921. WITH reference to my despatch of the 28th January upon the subject of opium prohibition, I have the honour to forward a map of the province of Fukien, in which the areas under cultivation are marked in red.
Other evidence has been supplied to the American consul by Mr. George W. Hollister, an American missionary, in the shape of four photographs, enclosed herewith, sh wing poppy under cultivation in fields between the villages Shih-ma and Yu-tang, Fukien. Mr. Hollister wrote to the American consul as follows:-
"All four of the pictures were taken on the 23rd December, and all were taken between Shih-ma and Yu-tang. I think I only saw one field with poppy between Yu-tang and Hsinghua. Yu-tang was the boundary between the Northern and Southern territory during the recent trouble.
"Although these pictures were only taken in that comparatively small stretch, it would be possible to take any number of pictures in almost any part of the county. There is very little up in Hingtai, and there are but few fields in the western part of the county. The soil in these places does not seem best for growing the poppy. The entire eastern section, including Dang-hau, Kuei-ting, Hsiang ting, Fen-ting, Tze-hsiao, contain thousands of acres of poppy-fields. I doubt if there has been more planted than was planted last year, but I think there is as much,"
I
I also enclose a photograph taken at Hsien Yu in the Hinghua district in February last by
a C.M.S, missionary giving very clear evidence of the cultivation. I have sent a copy of this photograph to the Governor.*
It is to be observed that the poppy is to be found chiefly in the south of the province. That district has now been in Northern occupation for two and a half" months, so that the Tuchun can have little real excuse for his failure to get his orders obeyed. At the same time he is in a difficult position. As the Southern forces and the bandite reaped vast sums from opium in Haien Yu district the bandite are credited with having made 1,000,000 taels last year, and the Northern troops naturally looked forward to their share of the plunder. Add the fact that the forces generally are only receiving half-pay, and it is scarcely to be wondered at that proclamations ordering prohibition are openly ignored. Of late, and for the first time, it is said, General Li has now issued direct orders to the military commanders throughout Fukien holding them personally responsible for preventing opium cultivation. He has found that the civil officials were powerless in the matter owing to the fact that the soldiers were practically ordering the farmers to plant opium. This action, however, may be due to the presence in Foochow of four opium inspectors sent down by the Central Government. The story goes that these men, whose names ar Wang Ta-heng, Ch'en Te-i, Ch'iu Kung-K'uei and Lin Hsiang, received 3,000 dollars from Peking for expenses, and that on their arrival here were given another 3,000 dollars by General Li, who has also entertained them. These men arrived two weeks ago, and have not yet commenced their investigations. The Anti-Opium Society tried to arrange a public meeting to welcome them, but after accepting, and when all arrangements had been made, the inspectors managed to back out of it, and the meeting fell through.
• Not received.
Sir,
Frochowe, April 18, 1921. WITH reference to my despatch of the 14th March last, have the honour to report further upon the subject of opium cultivation in this province.
General Li Hou Chi does not attempt to deny that cultivation is taking place, but on the contrary frankly admits that such is the case in the southern part of the province. I enclose a copy and translation of his reply to me of the 6th April in which, while expressing his shame at what is happening, he lava all the blame upon the bandits. He holds out hope of their speedy capture, but their mere presence at all is of course nothing more nor less than a heaven-sent excuse for failure to root up the poppy.
Another side of the picture is afforded by a letter sent to me three days later than General Li's letter by Wu Wei, the bandit chief of whom the general complains. Wu Wei in his letter, which is addressed also to you and various foreign Ministers as well as the consuls in Foochow and Amoy, practically acruses General Li of direct connivance in the trale. The latter's arent is said to be Colonel Wang Hsien-ch'en, a man who owes his present rank and position entirely to General Li, since he was previously only a petty official. Rumour also states that he married a slave girl from General Li's family, so that the close connection between the two is thus easily understood.
The brigand chief Wu Wei's charges are to some extent supported by a letter I received from the Rev. S. J. Nightingale, C.M.S., of Hing Hua city, dated the 29th March, who wrote as tollows:-
Undoubtedly, there is a very large crop being gathered in the Hsien Yu county. The only new element in the situation is that the Northern officials are levying a tax on each mow. Common report says the military under Colonel Wang first of all demanded 15.00 dollars per mow, but later this tax has been reduced to 12.00 dollars per mow,"
In the districts around Kienning-fu there seems to be a plentiful supply of opium as almost every sizeable village has a den for its consumption. This is most noticeable in travelling by Sedan chair. Chair bearers almost without exception are addicted to the drug and must have their pipe at least once a day.
I am informed that the opinion prevalent among all classes is that there is a well- established underground supply line from Amoy by way of Ting Chou-fi and Yungan and thence throughout the northern part of the province. It is reported that this live of supply is organised if not actually operated by the Japanese, who import the drug from Formosa.
(Translation.) Sir,
Enclosure 3 in No. 53.
I have, &c.
H. PHILLIPS.
Ciril Governor Li Hou Chi to Consul Phillips.
You
April 6, 1921. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, in which you enckused for my inspection a photograph of opium cultivation in the Hsien-yu district sent to you by the Fukien branch of the International Anti-Opium Association. state that reports received from all sides indicate that cultivation exists in Hing Hua and the southern part of the province, and that since the Southern troops have evacuated three months ago the territory they occupied, there should now be no
عد الاسهال وليد
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