4
conccaled the Edict and Regulations. Little land in this region is given over to the cultivation of opium, and after investigation I have failed to discover a single case where the area has been reduced thus far. From my past experience I feel almost certain that it will be impossible to ascertain accurately the amount of land used for the cultiva- tion of the poppy as the constables can always hide the facts from the Magistrates. After a residence of eighteen years in this district I bave estimated that about one-fifth of the adults smoke opium, but it is only in official or high circles that the foreign drug is being used. In some districts the officials seem to be making an honest effort to put a stop to the use of opium, and they have closed a number of opium dens. In other districts the Edict is practically a dead letter. A number of men are travelling about the country dressed as farm labourers, and the report is that they are trying to find out what the officials are doing in the matter of the sale, use, and cultivation of opium and the poppy."
From the north-east of Chibli, within the Great Wall, it is reported that the Viceroy's Proclamation has been posted up throughout the district, but that no opium shop has been closed, nor anything else done apparently. From beyond the wall it is reported that the opium shops had in one town been closed at the end of January, and the Magistrate's Proclamation dealing with the Ediet had been posted in the town, but not then in the surrounding district, nor had any steps been taken apparently to curtail the amount of poppy growing, which is considerable.
From South Shansi it is reported that both officials and people in general take the new Regulations philosophically, and are prepared to make the best of the inevitable.
From Taiyuan-fu, the capital of the province, it is reported that--
1. The Imperial Edicts demanding the abandonment of opium have been published and widely distributed.
2. The following orders have been issued :-
(a.) All officials and Government employés are to abandon the use of opium within six months on pain of dismissal.
(b.) All professors, teachers, and scholars using opium in any of the Government colleges and schools are to be expelled.
(It is asserted that now there are 2,000 students and scholars in these colleges who do not use opium.)
(c.) Military officers using opium are to be instantly dismissed. Soldiers are allowed one month in which to reform.
(d.) Next year the amount of opium cultivated is to be reduced.
(e.) The sale of the opium-smokers' implements prohibited.
(f.) Orders to close their establishments within two months have been issued to
129shops selling opium.
3. For the cure of the opium habit the provincial treasurer has opened free dispensaries. (Applicants at these dispensaries, according to official reports, number 300 or 400 daily. The cost of the dispensaries is reported as 2,000 taels per month.) Similar dispensaries are to be opened in all the countries.
The above indicates the position of the Shansi Government.
The attitude of the people may be estimated from the following facts :--
1. For many years an active sale has been carried on by vendors of drugs for the cure of the opium habit for their medicines. There are now forty-one shops in Taiyuan-fu, where these drugs are sold.
2. There are seven opium refuges in this city carried on by the Chinese having no connection with Christian missions.
3. Protestant missions have no difficulty in conducting opium refuges, and receive numbers of patients in all districts.
4. The Taiyuan-fu press, at present consisting of two papers, the "Pei Hua Pao
and the Tsin Pao," are unceasing in denouncing the habitual use of opium.
23
5. The vegetarian Societies, which are political organizations, are opposed to the use
of opium and open opium refuges.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[14406]
(No. 131.)
No. 1.
102
(May 4.]
SECTION 2,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 4.)
Sir,
Peking, March 14, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 73 of the 6th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that no opium shops or dens exist in the British Concessions at Hankow, Kiukiang, or Amoy.
His Majesty's Consul at the latter port informs me that the British Municipal Council does not license, nor has it ever permitted such establishments, and that no opium dens are known to exist within Concession limits.
His Majesty's Consul at Kiukiang reports that under bye-law 17 a "shop or place for the retail sale of opium" can only be opened in the Concession under a license granted by the Council and countersigned by the Consul, the penalty for non-observance of the provisions of the bye-law being 100 dollars. No license for the opening of an opium shop or den of any kind has been issued by the Council.
Chinkiang is therefore the only British Concession in China where there are any establishments of this kind.
[2475 d~2]
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
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