PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
C.O. 882
5
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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bhang. True, Bertolacci mentions there was a duty on opium in the early part of the century of 20 rix dollars per lb., but he gives no figures for import, which must have been small, and only for the use of Malays, except as far as used by medical men. Fifty years ago the importation averaged not much more than 1,000 lbs. a year; now it is over 12,000 lb3.* And of late years, and especially within the last three years, in Colombo there have been many of both Sinhalese and Tamils attracted in numbers to the opium and bhang retail shops; and it is in order that these establishments may be closed and restrictions, after the English law, applied that we are gathered together. I may say that the Natives-Sinhalese and Buddhists, Tamils, Hindus, and Muhammadans -have been more eager even than Europeans in urging this movement to show the Government what they wish. You will be able to judge of this as the meeting goes We are met here not in opposition to the Government or to the Legislative Council. We are rather met to give them our support, if they will have it. At any rate, we are here to strengthen the hands of the unofficial members who have already expressed views in accordance with those put forward by us to-day, and with the hope that the whole body of officials, as unofficials, may come to be of one mind and one heart with us in respect of the restriction and regulation of the importation and sale of - opium and bhang in Ceylon. (Applause.)
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on.
THE FIRST RESOLUTION,
Advocate J. C. Walter Pereira, in moving the first resolution, said: The resolution that stands in my name runs thus: "That, as no opium or bhang is prepared in Ceylon "for sale, and the Natives of the Island have never, as a whole or in any appreciable number, until very recently, been accustomed to their use, this meeting protests against "the unrestricted sale of the drugs in any quantity at Native shops licensed by Govern- "ment as leading to the entanglement of the people in the habit of using these drugs." My difficulty, ladies and gentlemen, in speaking to this motion is that our chairman, in his able and instructive address, has already dealt with it in an exhaustive manner. He has practically taken the wind off my sails, and it will be no easy matter to keep clear of what he has said. I shall, however, make an effort to do so, with what success it is yet to be seen. You will observe that the resolution is based on two premises, both of which, I maintain, are well supported by facts. The first is, that no opium or bhang is prepared in Ceylon for sale. As to that, I might say that no opium or bhang is prepared in Ceylon at all, either for sale or private consumption. True enough, that the poppy and the hemp plant grow readily here, but, so far as I am aware, they have never been cultivated to such an extent as to call for the preparation of opium or bhang. The second of the premises I have referred to is, that the Natives of the Island have never as a whole or in any appreciable number, until recently, been accustomed to the use of these noxious drugs. As to that, I am almost inclined to say that, even in recent times quite, an appreciable number of Natives have not become accustomed to the use of these drugs. It seems to me that we are now on the eve of such a deplorable state of things, and our present effort is to nip the impending evil in the bud. As to past times, it is clear enough that the ancient Sinhalese were not addicted to the use of these poisonous drugs. Looking back over the pages of history, we see, as the chairman has told you, that these drugs were unknown to the Sinhalese of old-in fact, all intoxicants were unknown to them. With the introduction into the Island of Buddhism, with its admirable code of ethics, habits of sobriety and temperance began to be cultivated by the Sinhalese, and, if I am not mistaken, one of the precepts
• IMPORT OF OPIUM INTO CEYLON-
lb.
lb.
Ib.
1840
1,582 1854
4,290 1867
10,978 1880
10,116
1841
1,046 1855
3,662 1868
10,298 1881
9,178
1842
1,794 1866
10,308 1969
6,637 1882
7,852
1843
1857
No records.
7,512
1870
12,448 1889
9,579
1044
1868
4,868 1871
9,060 1884
10,502
1846
1,048
1859
9,028 1872
12,808 1885
9,977
1846
711 1880
1847
1,456 1861
1949
917
1882
1849
1,279
1888
8,379 1878 9,608 1874 6,874 1875 9,321 1876
11,969 1888 8,408 1887 H,278
1888 10,174 1889
9,568
-
9,976
9,147
10,998
1850
861
1864
10,486 1877
8,774 1890
12,806
1851
2,189
1865
10,242
1878
9,848 1891
12,814
1852
2,840
1886
6,275 1879
7,805 1892
12,457
1853
4,668
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of Buddha was to 'shun drugs and drinks; clear minds, clean bodies, needing no soma juice," the soma juice being evidently a narcotic such as opium or bhang. Western civilisation, however, while it brought in its train blessings unknown in the East, introduced into the Island some of the deplorable vices of European nations, and among those was indulgence in spirituous liquor. The Natives got used to it, and have become addicted to it so far as to have now what may be called their national drink. But op.um and bhang stand on a footing different from that of intoxicating liquor. They are not prepared here, and the Natives of the Island have not, as a whole. taken to indulgence in them yet. Until very recent time, the use of these drugs was con- fined to the Malay population and the few Chinese settled in the Island. The Sinhalese and Tamils have now caught the infection, which, like a reptile venomous to the very touch, is now crawling and creeping everywhere, poisoning the very lifeblood of the indigenous population of the Island. Some idea of the progress in the use of these drugs may be gained from the fact that within the last 10 years their importation has increased 30 per cent. From about 9,867 lbs. in 1883, the importation had swelled in 1892 to 12,457 lbs. The drugs bid fair in time to be as extensively used here as in any other country. That is in consequence of their unrestricted sale here, and it is therefore time that a protest is entered against such sale. The case of Ceylon is different from that of China. There the indulgence in these drugs is quite what I might call a national vice. It is too deep-rooted to be eradicated without giving rise to considerable discontent. Ceylon is much in the same position as Burma, and if the recent regulations introduced into that country were thought necessary there for the welfare of the Natives, much more must they be so here. As in Burma, the sale
of opium and bhang should not, I think, be permitted here except under medical pre- scriptions, and, if necessary, those who are already confirmed opium-eaters may be allowed to register themselves as such, and the rules as to sale relaxed in their favour only. It would be out of place before a learned audience like the one I am addressing to dwell upon the evil effects of indulgence in these poisonous drugs. We all know how constitutions have been wrecked and families ruined by it in other countries. Reports of missionaries are full of the harrowing details of sufferings traceable to such indulgence, and before such sufferings come nearer home to us let us protest against the door being left open to admit the approaching evil, and let me, therefore, commend to the meeting the resolution the terms of which I have read already. (Applause.)
The Rev. A. E. Dibben, C.M.S., in seconding the above resolution, said: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,-I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution, and in doing so I would venture to repeat in substance a sentence which occurred in the chairman's speech, viz., that we are not met here in opposition to the Government, but for the purpose of showing them that there is a public opinion upon a subject which, we believe, they now have under their serious consideration. I speak as a Christian missionary, and wish to give the testimony of missionaries on this subject. Not that of the missionaries in Ceylon, because the opium evil is still in its infancy here, but the testimony of missionaries in China, where the consumption of opium has reached such enormous proportions, and where its effects are very unmistakeably manifest. Now, it will probably be admitted that missionaries, whose main object is to seek the moral and spiritual well-being of the people among whom they labour, and who are doing their work because they love the people, are, from the very nature of the case, acquainted, as almost no others can be, with the daily lives and habits, the joys and sorrows, of those people. Consequently their utterances on such a subject as this are worthy of the highest consideration. Now, I could furnish you with most harrowing details from the accounts which missionaries have given from time to time of the evil effects resulting to the Chinese from the use of opium. They speak of rich men reduced to beggary, of respectable men reduced to the practice of the lowest vices, of happy homes made miserable, and of men who once loved their families even setting wife and daughters to an infamous life in order to obtain money for the purchase of opium. And these are not things that happen merely here and there, but are common occur- rences, so prevalent as almost to threaten to bring the whole nation to ruin. But I believe I am speaking to those who have already made up their minds as to the danger that arises from the use of opium, and therefore I need not multiply evidence on the subject. It is true that the missionaries' statements have been impugned in some quarters, but their reply to those who are sceptical is, "Come and see for yourselves." Now, seeing that the seductive influences of opium have wrought such havoc among a shrewd and bard-headed people like the Chinese, we are anxious that the Natives of
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