CO129-262 - Governor Sir Robinson Acting Governor O-Brien - 1894 [1-4] — Page 85

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed
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Three years ago when investigating certain claims made by the opium farmer, and from what I have learnt since, I should say that about 1½ chests of opium are prepared and sold per day for local consumption. Each chest gives 1050 taels of prepared opium; 1½ chests therefore = 1575 taels sold per day. Each tael contains 10 mace, and 1 mace will, in the case of a hard smoker, give 7 pipes, but an ordinary smoker, such as a coolie or one of that class, will make 15 pipes out of 1 mace. At 7 pipes per mace, that would be 110,250 pipes per day, or double that if the smaller dose be adopted.

To this must be added the dross of opium, which, being much cheaper, is largely consumed by the poorer classes. Then there is the opium from China, which is smuggled in from China and Macao – an unknown quantity, but which I have no doubt is considerable.

It is very difficult to fix the quantity smoked on an average; a large number take only a small quantity, but others take more. From these figures and facts, there is no doubt that a large proportion of the adult males of the Colony are consumers of opium; a few women, I believe, smoke a little, and children...

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2026-05-27 09:02:15 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct
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Three years ago when investigating certain claims made by the opium farmer, and from what I have learnt since, I should say that about 1½ chests of opium are prepared and sold per day for local consumption. Each chest gives 1050 taels of prepared opium; 1½ chests therefore = 1575 taels sold per day. Each tael contains 10 mace, and 1 mace will, in the case of a hard smoker, give 7 pipes, but an ordinary smoker, such as a coolie or one of that class, will make 15 pipes out of 1 mace. At 7 pipes per mace, that would be 110,250 pipes per day, or double that if the smaller dose be adopted. To this must be added the dross of opium, which, being much cheaper, is largely consumed by the poorer classes. Then there is the opium from China, which is smuggled in from China and Macao – an unknown quantity, but which I have no doubt is considerable. It is very difficult to fix the quantity smoked on an average; a large number take only a small quantity, but others take more. From these figures and facts, there is no doubt that a large proportion of the adult males of the Colony are consumers of opium; a few women, I believe, smoke a little, and children...
Baseline (Original)
! 1 three years ago when investigating. Certain clain made by the opium a farmer, er, and from what I have learnt since I should say chat about 1/1⁄2 chests of opium is prepared and sold per day for local Consumption, 1050 calls of prepared each chest gives opium, 1/1⁄2 Chests therefore = 1575 laels Sold per day; each tael Contains 10 male, and I mace will in the case of a hard smother give 7 piper but an ordinary smoker such as a other of that Class will Coolie or make 15 pipes out of a make. At of pipes per mace that would be 110,250 pipes per day or double that if the smaller dose be adopted. To this To this must be added the dros 83 opium which being much cheaper is largely consumed by the poorer classes. Then there is the opium China which is smuggled in from and Macas an unknown quantity but which I have no doubt is Considerable. It is very difficult to fix the quantity smoked on an average, a large number tatte only quantity, a Small but from others take more, these figures and facts there is no doubt that a large proportion of the adult males of the Colony are Consumers of opium, a few women I believe latte, a little and Children
2026-05-27 09:02:15 · Baseline
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!

1

three years ago when investigating. Certain clain made by the opium

a

farmer,

er, and from what I have learnt since I should say

chat about

1/1⁄2 chests of opium is prepared and sold per day for local Consumption, 1050 calls of prepared

each chest gives

opium, 1/1⁄2 Chests therefore = 1575 laels Sold per day; each tael Contains

10 male, and I mace will in the

case of

a hard smother give 7 piper

but an ordinary smoker such as a

other of that Class will

Coolie or

make 15 pipes out of

a make. At

of pipes per mace that would be

110,250 pipes per day

or double

that if the smaller dose be adopted.

To this

To this must be added the dros 83

opium which being much cheaper

is largely consumed by the poorer classes. Then there is the opium

China which is smuggled in from

and Macas an unknown quantity

but which I have no doubt is

Considerable.

It is

very difficult to fix

the

quantity smoked on an average,

a large

number tatte

only

quantity,

a Small

but from

others take more,

these figures

and facts there is no

doubt that a

large proportion

of the adult males of the Colony

are

Consumers of opium, a few

women I believe latte, a little and

Children

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