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Mr. J. W. Stevenson, Deputy Director of the China Inland Mission, states that his Society would be prepared, if asked to do so, to issue a Circular in a few months' time to all the members of the Mission throughout China asking them for details as to the manner in which the Regulations are being enforced. He thinks it would be well if they could be supplied with a form so drawn up as to act as a guide to the nature of the information required.
This Mission has representatives in all provinces except Kwangtung, Kwangsi, and Fukien, and it would seem that Mr. Stevenson's offer points the way to a systematic means of obtaining information periodically on this subject. He anticipates no difficulty in arranging for such reports to be sent by cach missionary to the nearest British Consulate,
I have the honour to request your directions as to the manner in which best use can be made of such a system.
(Translation.)
I have, &c.
(Signed)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
PELHAM WARREN.
Shanghae Taotai's Proclamation against Opium Shops.
THE foreign drug known as opium ("yapien ") was first imported from abroad as a medicine; but after its cultivation was established and the sale of it extended it became, instead of a cure for sickness, a curse to the country and the people. The Government, in its leniency, merely adopted the measure of heavy taxation, in the hope that that would be prohibitive; but the people foolishly failed to appreciate this motive, and cultivation and smoking continued as before. The evil has now permeated all the provinces, and entails immeasurable loss of wealth, a most lamentable state of affairs. The Throne is now adopting reform in all watters, having national self-reliance in view, and an Imperial Edict, setting a term for discontinuance of the use of opium, has been promulgated, notwithstanding that this involves the giving up of many millions of revenue from duty and li-kin, so that only the people may derive new benefit. There will assuredly be no lack of men of education inspired by this ambition who will give up the drug; but there will still be many dilatory and lax persons willing to remain sunk in the vice, and this will be because of the large number of opium shops established and the ease with which a man can be tempted to his ruin. There is no other way of attacking the practice in a radical manner and exhibiting a proper warning and example than that of closing these shops.
In Chilli Province already the rule has been obeyed, and a limit of six months imposed for the closing of the shops; but the great port of Shanghae must be made to afford a signal example of abolition, and all the gentry have appealed to me to impose similar prohibition to that of Chihli. The officials and their underlings must, of course, be the first to stop, and, further, the minute Regulations laid down for the abandonment of the use of the drug will be duly published here and issued to the other districts, &c. This Proclamation is now issued for the information of all (owners of) opium shops~-~~ large and small-in the city and suburbs that they are to close as such in six months from to-day and be converted to other forms of business. In this period no addition may be made to the number of opium shops-only reductions. Any persons who have not closed their shops within the time, or who continue secretly to allow smoking and sell opium, will be arrested and severely punished, and all the effects on the premises will be confiscated. Landlords who knowingly allow this to go on will be fined and have the house sealed and sold according to degree of their offence. sell the drug are not the same as regular opium shops, and these must stop the con- Wine shops which also sumption and sale of opium in one month. Disobedience will involve punishments as above. This announcement will be followed by immediate action in its terms, and no excuse of ignorance will be taken. Tremble and obey! This is of the utmost importance.
Hsin Wen Pao, December 22, 1906.
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Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Extracts from "Nan Fang Pao" of January 2 and 8, 1907.
OPIUM PROHIBITION IN TIEN-TSIN.
IT is most gratifying to learn by latest advices from Tien-tsin that all opium dens in that city, both large and small, were closed simultaneously on the 16th last month, despite the protests of their proprietors, who pleaded for an extension of time. The opium dens in the British and Japanese Settlements have been treated in a similar In the Japanese Concession opium lamps are prohibited even in the restau- rants and brothels. The only exceptions are in the French and Austrian Settlements, where in every opium den smokers are found gathered in large numbers both day and night.
manner.
It is most unfortunate that the authorities of the French Settlement have not yet shown their willingness to co-operate with the Chinese in their efforts to stamp out the opium evil in Tien-tsin, for until that is done prohibition in the native city will be utterly useless, as the smokers have only to go into the French and Austrian Con- cessions to indulge in the habit.
The Chinese press in Tien-tsin is taking up the matter and is urging the Chinese authorities not to lose any time in inducing all the foreign Consuls to prohibit public opium smoking in their Concessions within a fixed time.
The Tien-tsin police are displaying the most praiseworthy energy in the detection and arrest of violaters of the new Opium Regulations. Soon after the opium dens were closed, keepers of two such closed places in the city were detected to be secretly opening opium lamps for the use of customers, and were at once arrested and each fined by the Magistrate 100 dollars and 100 blows. This summary punishment has had the effect of striking terror into the hearts of would-be breakers of the Regulations, and since that date no more attempts at violating the law have been discovered.
Specially intelligent and reliable officers and men have been selected from the city police to act as inspectors of opium dens in the city and suburbs, so as to uphold the orders of his Excellency Viceroy Yuan.
The spirit shown by the British and Japanese Consuls in thus readily agreeing to co-operate with the Chinese authorities it: the matter of opium suppression in their Concessions is greatly appreciated by the Chinese in Tien-tsin, and no doubt this appre- ciation will find its echo in the hearts of all patriotic Chinese who desire to see the national curse eradicated.
We are waiting to see the example of Tien-tsin promptly followed by the city of Shanghae, and if the pronouncement of the Customs Taotai to close all opium dens within six months is really carried into effect, the Chinese here will have cause for rejoicing and thankfulness.
THE ANTI-OPIUM PROPAGANDA.
It is most satisfactory to learn that, following the example of his Excellency Viceroy Yuan Shih-kai in Tien-tsin, the authorities in Peking are adopting the most active measures for carrying out the anti-opium propaganda in their city. Proclamations are now posted all over Peking notifying all the opium shops and dens that they must close within six months, or they will be severely punished. No excuse on the plea of ignorance of the Regulations will be allowed.
In Tien-tsin the anti-opium crusade is going on with unabated vigour. Not satisfied with merely closing the opium dens, the Magistrate has again issued stringent orders to the hotel keepers in the city and suburbs that no smokers are to be allowed to use their premises as retreats for opium smoking. A register must be kept by each hotel, giving particulars as to the age, occupation, habits, &c., of each visitor.”
Not to leave the work to be done by officials alone, the Chinese Chamber of Com- merce at Tien-tsin is organizing an Anti-Opium Society in the city, and the merchants have held a meeting and passed a Resolution that all Chinese ranking as merchants must give up the opium habit forthwith, and that those of their employés who do not give it up must be dismissed.
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