E 11
that persons were being brought down from the interior of China specially to look after divans, it was therefore decided to deport such persons, who were convicted after only a short residence here. The number of recidivists among convicted divan keepers was very high, apparently once men or women have taken to the easy and lucrative life of a divan-keeper nothing will deter them, and no sooner they have paid their fine or completed their sentence of imprisonment than they at once return to their old occupation, more often than not at the old premises. The divans relied chiefly on Kwong Chow Wan and Macau prepared opium. It was rarely that they were found preparing their own opium. A good deal of dross opium is consumed in these divans especially those frequented by the poorest class of casual labour. The retail price of the illicit opium consumed in the divans was in the neighbourhood of $3 per tael. Distribution of the daily supplies of illicit opium was chiefly performed by women and girls, who carried the opium concealed on their persons, and were largely immune from search on account of their sex.
VI.—OPIUM IN CHINA,
Opium taxation in China.
The taxation of opium throughout the adjacent provinces of China still continued, and it was very rare to find a cake of Chinese raw opium without a revenue stamp of some kind, in some cases more than one kind. The revenue stamps were well printed, and in a very recent case, precautions had been taken against forgery by using a well-printed geometrical device similar to that used on bank notes, and serial numbers in Arabic numerals; this interesting stamp was said to have originated in Canton. A fresh device was noticed, that of issuing opium revenue stamps valid for only one month after the date filled in on each stamp, apparently the opium unless consumed within one month from the date given would be liable to further taxation. Amoy continued to send out prepared opium stamped with special export duty revenue stamps. On a large seizure of Chinese raw opium large revenue sealing labels were found on the outside of the cases, to indicate that the contents had been duly examined and had paid the proper duty, there was no attempt at concealing the nature of the contents. The label would have allowed the case to pass without further examination.
A very interesting prospectus of a Shanghai Company for the protection of opium smuggling was seized here. This company was formed for the protection of the opium trade in Shanghai and district as the direct outcome of the quarrel between the Fengtien opium investigation commission and the local officials in May. The estimates of the consumption of foreign opium only given were 100 chests per month in the Shanghai district itself, and 100 chests for sale in Shanghai but for consumption elsewhere. The framework of the company was built on the
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that persons were being brought dowu from the interior of China specially to look after divans, it was therefore decided to deport such persons, who were convicted after only a short residence here. The number of recidivists among convicted divan keepers was very high, apparently once men or women have taken to the easy and lucrative life of a divan-keeper nothing will deter them, and no sooner they have paid their fine or completed their sen- tence of imprisonment than they at once return to their old oc- cupation, more often than not at the old premises. The divans relied chiefly on Kwong Chow Wan and Macau prepared opium. it was rarely that they were found preparing their own opium. A good deal of dross opium is consumed in these divans especial- ly those frequented by the poorest class of casual labour. The retail price of the illicit opium consumed in the divaus was in the neighbourhood of $3 per tael. Distribution of the daily supplies of illicit opium was chiefly performed by women and girls, who carried the opium concealed on their persons, and were largely immune from search on account of their sex.
+
VI.-OPIUM IN CHINA,
Opium taxation in China.
The taxation of opium throughout the adjacent provinces of China still continued, and it was very rare to find a cake of Chinese raw opium without a revenue stamp of some kind, in some cases more than one kind. The revenue stamps were well printed, and in a very recent case, precautions had been taken against forgery by using a well printed geometrical device similar to that used on bank notes, and serial numbers in Arabic numerals; this interesting stamp was said to have originated in Canton. A fresh device was noticed, that of issuing opium revenue stamps valid for only one month after the date filled in on each stamp, apparently the opium unless consumed within one month from the date given would be liable to further taxation. Amoy continued to send out prepared opium stamped with special export duty revenue stamps. On a large seizure of Chinese raw opium large revenue sealing labels were found on the outside of the cases, to indicate that the contents had been duly examined and had paid the proper duty, there was no attempt at concealing the nature of the contents. the label would have allowed the case to pass without further examination.
A very interesting prospectus of a Shanghai Company for the protection of opiuin sinuggling was seized here. This com- pany was formed for the protection of the opium trade in Shang- hai and district as the direct outcome of the quarrel between the Fengtien opium investigation commission and the local officials in May. The estimates of the consumption of foreign opium only given were 100 chests per month in the Shanghai district itself, and 100 chests for sale in Shanghai but for consumption elsewhere. The framework of the company was built on the
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