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In Kiangsu, Hsüchon is a centre of the trade for the province. It was estimated that 2,500 piculs (3,000 cwt) of Hsúchon opium were consumed at Nanking in 1903, and it is widely used throughout the province.
Kuangsi produces ma-shih-t'u, ma-k'uai-t'u, and k'uai-tzu-t'u, but the quantity does not seem to be large.
Chekiang produces great quantities throughout the province. Tai-chou, Hsiang- shau, and Yi Yao are the centres of the industry, the estimated production for the year 1900 being 15,000 piculs (18,000 cwt.). The crop is said to be deteriorating owing to neglect of fertilization. Some, however, is exported, the quantity estimated as having gone to Foochow by various routes in 1902 being 1,000 picule (1,200 cwt.).
In Fukien the cultivation of the poppy has increased enormously of late years. In 1900 it was predicted that in the near future the province would be independent of any other supply,
The Chinese estimates of the production in the neighbourhood of Amoy alone were, in 1902, 4,770 piculs (5,724 cwt.), and, in 1903, 9,178 piculs (11,003 cwt.).
Manchuria has lately appeared as a producer of opium, and possibly will eventually become the main source from which Chinese markets on the coast will be supplied. After the local demand had been satisfied 865 piculs (1,035 cwt.) reported to the native Customs at Newchwang for export in 1902, and 2,015 piculs (2,418 cwt.)
in 1903.
Although I have indicated various places at which opium is produced in China, it is evident that the amounts produced are small, and a cursory study of the trade reports shows that the main source of supply of Chinese opium is the three provinces of Szechuan, Yünnan, and Kweichou.
It is notoriously impossible to obtain any statistics as to the quantities produced of any commodity in China.
Mr. Hosic, on p. 28 of his Report on the Province of Szechuan, estimates the quantity of opium consumed yearly in that province at the enormous amount of 127,750 piculs (153,300 cwt.). His estimate of the total quantity produced in the province being more than double that of Indian opium introduced into China hardly seems correct, as the total net import of all foreign opium has only varied between 48,994 piculs and 59,161 piculs during the ten years ending 1904.
An authority on the subject (Mr. Spence, I believe) in 1881 estimated that 177,000 piculs were produced yearly in Szechuan, 35,000 in Yunnan, and 10,000 in Kweichou.
In his Report for the year 1909 the Commissioner of Customs at Chungking estimated the production in Szechuan at 250,000 piculs.
In the absence of any definite information, estimates of the quantities produced are only interesting for the sake of comparing them with the estimates given for other places, and show the great preponderance of the Szechuan and Yunnan
article.
Although the regulations deal with opium from the three Provinces of Szechuan, Yunnan, and Kweichou, of the amount which passes through Ichang from one-third to one quarter is from Yunnan and the rest from Szechuan,
Opium poppy cultivation appears to be almost universal in all districts in Szechuan, except in the Chengtu plain.
The opium which passes through Ichang comes largely from Fuchou and Hsuchou. The latter kind is said to have almost entirely supplied the Kiangnan market in 1901,
In the Customs Trade Reports for 1899 and 1900, in which years the crops seem to have been good, the following places in various parts of the province (see sketch map,* Inclosure 2) are mentioned as having stocks of opium on hand :—
Fucbou.
Chien Chou.
Yung Ch'uan. Nei Chiang. Sui-ting.
Chunghing.
Prior to 1890 the quantity exported from Szechuan was comparatively small, and does not seem to have attracted much attention from the authorities.
* Not printed.
The great
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boom in its use came about 1894. The following Table shows the estimated quantity brought down by river, and the proportion which passed through the li-kin office as opposed to the Maritime Customs:-
1891
1893
1896
1897
1898
1599
Year.
River borne.
Passed through Li-kin Office.
Picule. 12,600
Cwt. (about),
Per cent.
15,120
17,099
20,519
30
17,259
20,710
60
22,627
27,152
53
20,089
24,110
61
31,361
37,638
52
The figures for the five years 1900 to 1904 are as follows:-
Total
Year.
River borne.
Maritime Customs.
Li-kin Office.
Total River borne.
Maritime Customs.
Li-hin Office.
Piculs.
Ficuls.
Picals.
Cwt.
Cut.
Owt
1900
25.443
12,717
13,726
31,731
15,260
16.471
1901
30,585
15,877
14,708
36,702
19,052
17,650
1902
22,098
6,722
15,878
26,517
8.066
18,451
1903
24,888
5,794
19,094
29,865
6,953
22,912
1904
86,856
11,278
25,578
44,228
13,533
30,095
The amount of the drug consumed in Tchang is so inconsiderable a fraction that
for practical purposes it may be assumed that the above figures represent the amount which passed through by the Yang-tsze route to the down river markets.
The opium which is passed through the native li-kia office is carried in native boats to the various river ports in the Two Hu, Kiangsi, and Anhui Provinces. The principal distributing centre is Kiukiang, but opium sent by other routes probably also reaches it.
The estimated quantity of Szechuan opium (in which term the Yunnan product is presumably included) imported there under native li-kin rules was, in 1901, 10,000 to 12,000 piculs (12,000 to 14,400 cwt.); in 1902, 18,000 piculs (51,600 cwt.); and, in 1903, 15,000 piculs (18,000 cwt.). In the last year it was noted that only about 2,000 piculs (2,400 cwt.) were consumed locally.
The opium which is passed through the Maritime Customs at Ichang is almost entirely sent by steamer to Shanghae, which is a distributing centre for Kiangsu, and some is again re-exported to Fukien and Kuangtung.
Other Routes.
Other routes by which Szechuan opium is distributed are:-- For Hupei, Yeh San Kuan-Itu.
For Hunan, (1) the route through the Shihnan Prefecture controlled by the Lai Feng Office; and (2) that from Fuchou (Szechuan) to Kung Tan and the Yuan River to Chang Tệ.
This route was once the main line of traffic to Haukow, but was ruined by the opening of Ichang, the ascendency of Shashih as a trading centre, the improvements in the Shihnan road made by the opium guilds, and friction with the aborigines (vide Rosthorn).
A route which possibly carries opium to the north-east is by the Chia-ling and Chu Rivers to Sui-ting, and thence to Hsing-an Fu on the Han River in Hupei.
Kan-chou Fu (latitude 26", longitude 115°) in Southern Kiangsi, is a great distributing centre of Szechuan opium.
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