4
ward of the city--each proprietor depositing 50 taels as a guarantee for good behaviour. Upon representation that two would not be sufficient to accommodate the smokers in the larger wards, the total number has temporarily been increased to 100.
On the 26th August proprietors of opium dens proceeded to the office to make their 50 taels deposit. Unfortunately, more than the required 100 presented themselves, and further delay will be necessary while instructions are awaited.
It is said that the class of smokers registering themselves is a poor one, the well-to-do having laid in a sufficient stock of opium to render themselves independent of the Government supply.
The following reports have reached His Majesty's Consul from the province: K'uei-chou Fu, August 12.--Opium dens in full swing.
Wan Hsien, August 1.-Tung-chuan Deputy recalled and no tax collected. A short time since opium dens were closing, but these have reopened, and, as far as can be seen, not one has closed; people exultant; anti-opium Society has disappeared; officials are indifferent.
Sui Fu, August 13.-A missionary found no dens open and very little private smoking. The Magistrate made an example of several den keepers who tried to run the gauntlet. The street stalls, where opium is boiled and sold in small quantities, have been reduced by forty. The Prefect, although a miserable opium wreck, and the most indifferent and lazy official that has been in Sui Fu, is in high favour with his superiors, and has just received an Imperial decoration in recognition of his able services!
3. Chengtu.
All opium shops and divans in the city and suburbs of Chengtu were closed by the police on the 8th August. On the following day the preparation and sale of opium became a Government monopoly. The Regulations now in force are briefly as follows:-
Nine opium "hongs" are established for the sale of opium to opium shops and holders of licences.
At twenty-six wholesale opium stores the drug may be purchased by holders of licences.
Three hundred opium shops (i.e., divans) are opened where opium may be consumed on the premises.
No disturbances of any kind attended the closing of the old opium divans. The people principally affected, namely, the lowest classes of the population, porters, chair coolies, labourers, &c., who might have been expected to resist the summary closing of their old haunts, have shown no hesitation in patronizing the new official divans, which, decorated with gaudy coloured lattice-work fronts, fancy lanterns, and bright red or blue curtains before the door, now form a striking feature in every street in the city. The quality of the official opium is--at any rate, for the present--good, and the price is but slightly higher than before.
The middle and upper classes of opium smokers, who have for the last three months been busy laying in and preparing a stock of opium sufficient to last them for some time to come, are not affected by the new Rules; they have, generally speaking, not registered themselves on the "black list," and they are apparently content to await developments.
If the arrangements described can hardly be regarded as carrying out the letter, and even the spirit of the Imperial Decrees against the use of opium, they are nevertheless a distinct step in the desired direction.
The sudden and complete stoppage of the supply of the drug in a city of some 400,000 inhabitants, where over 50 per cent. of the male population are credited with being opium smokers, would inevitably have led to serious rioting, in which foreigners and foreign property could hardly fail to have become involved; these disturbances in the capital would undoubtedly have found an echo throughout the province, with serious consequences not only to the peace and prosperity of the country, but also to the prospects of the anti-opium movement.
On the other hand, this partial application of the Regulations has the following advantages. An important reduction is made in the number of opium divans in the city. They were estimated at from 450 to 500; there are now only 300. The new divans will, moreover, presumably be better managed and under stricter police control than the old ones. The instinctive dislike of the Chinese to registration, apart from the stigma which the better class of public opinion is now attaching to indulgence in opium, will deter large numbers of what are called "mild smokers" from continuing the habit. Inveterate smokers who have any remnant of self-respect will doubtless now make a serious attempt to break off the habit, so as to avoid being placed on the "black list," and possibly consigned to the unpopular opium refuges. Registration, again, may be expected to deter young men from acquiring the habit. Much depends, of course, on the manner in which the subordinate officials and licensers of opium stores perform their duties. In Chengtu there is little doubt that the Regulations will be strictly enforced, but in the smaller cities everything depends on the local officials. One instance of their conception of their duty that has come to the notice of His Majesty's Consul-General is not encouraging. At Sui Fu, one of the principal towns of Szechuan, the opium divans were all closed with a flourish of trumpets in June last, but a resident missionary reports that many of the divans closed to the street have a back door open, and that opium smoking is clandestinely carried on all over the city. The police have made one or two ostentatious raids, but generally speaking connive at what they dare not suppress. The Prefect himself smokes opium.
On a recent journey overland from Chiating to Chengtu His Majesty's Consul-General passed through five hsien cities. In not one of them could he learn that any arrangements had been made for the closing of opium dens. At P'eng Shan Hsien the Magistrate, who is a notorious opium smoker, is reported to have laid in a stock of opium sufficient to last him ten years. This journey brought home to His Majesty's Consul-General in a most forcible manner the firm hold which the opium habit has on the people of the province. The chair coolies, porters, the so-called soldiers who formed the escort, were all confirmed opium smokers. In every town, market, and hamlet passed the air reeked of opium, and a glance at random through an open door was certain to reveal in the darkest corner the dim glow of the opium lamp. Even on the sacred Mount Omei a majority of the pilgrims met with on the road carried small boxes containing their opium requisites.
Official exhortations, prohibitions, restrictions, &c., are of small avail to suppress a habit so deeply rooted and so widely distributed as opium smoking in Szechuan.
The only means whereby the Government of Szechuan can effectually eradicate the use of opium in the province is by restricting the supply of the drug by gradually limiting the area under cultivation. In October next the new opium crop will be sown, and the steps then taken by the Chinese authorities to limit the cultivation of the opium poppy will be watched with great interest.
4. Foochow.
Opium dens are said to have been closed since the 12th May, and bands of students go frequently about the streets to see that the Edict is obeyed. Not all the Foochow officials are themselves free from the opium habit, but they dare not do anything to show that they are not in sympathy with the movement. There are said to be seven opium refuges in the city and neighbourhood to and from which there is a constant stream of patients. There seems to be no doubt of the sincerity and determination of the larger class of gentry and literati in Foochow, and that the officials will be obliged to fall into line.
5. Hankow.
Missionary reports have reached His Majesty's Consul at Hankow, of which the following is a summary:—
Kansu. Another report from Chingchou, making the third to date, shows that up to the 31st July nothing beyond the posting of Proclamations had been done in that district. Experiments with various medicinal herbs were being made by the people themselves, so far without success. Opium is plentiful and low priced.
In P'ing Liang and the surrounding country within a radius of 50 miles the substance of the ten Articles had been made known by Proclamation in the beginning of July, but no active steps taken to enforce abstention from the opium habit. Opium dens remain open, the other Articles are ignored, and no example is set by either officials or gentry. The area under cultivation, as already reported, appears to be rather on the increase.
In Lanchou nothing whatever had been done hitherto except issuing three Proclamations, but, writing on the 12th August, a missionary reports that opium dens are now closed and shops obliged to take out licences, while officials have been appointed to examine the shop-keepers' books. It is refreshing to read that an official dispensary gives out anti-opium medicine which the recipient, unless he wishes to pay for it, is required to take on the spot. Articles 2 and 3, however, which provide for the issue of licences to smokers, and the fixing a time within which they must cease smoking, are...
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4
ward of the city--each proprietor depositing 50 taels as a guarantee for good behaviour. Upon representation that two would not be sufficient to accomodate the smokers in the larger wards, the total number has temporarily been increased to 100.
On the 26th August proprietors of opium dens proceeded to the office to make their 50 taels deposit. Unfortunately, more than the required 100 presented them. selves, and further delay will be necessary while instructions are awaited,
It is said that the class of smokers registering themselves is a poor one, the well. to-do having laid in a sufficient stock of opium to render themselves independent of the Government supply.
The following reports have reached His Majesty's Consul from the province : K'uei-chou Fu, August 12.--Opium dens in full swing.
Wan Hsien, August 1.-Tung-chuan Deputy recalled and no tax collected. A short time since opium dens were closing, but these have reopened, and, as far as can be seen, not one has closed; people exultant; anti-opium Society has disappeared; officials are indifferent.
Sui Fu, August 13.-A missionary found no dens open and very little private smoking. The Magistrate made an example of several den keepers who tried to run the gauntlet. The street stalls, where opium is boiled and sold in small quantities, have been reduced by forty. The Prefect, although a miserable opium wreck, and the most indifferent and lazy official that has been in Sui Fu, is in high favour with his superiors, and has just received an Imperial decoration in recognition of his able services !
3. Chengtu.
All opium shops and divans in the city and suburbs of Chengtu were closed by the police on the 8th August. On the following day the preparation and sale of opium became a Government monopoly. The Regulations now in force are briefly as
follows:-
Nine opium "hongs" are established for the sale of opium to opium shops and holders of licences.
At twenty-six wholesale opium stores the drug may be purchased by holders of licences.
Three hundred opium shops (i.e., divans) are opened where opium may be consumed on the premises.
No disturbances of any kind attended the closing of the old opium divans. The people principally affected, namely, the lowest classes of the population, porters, chair coolics, labourers, &c., who might have been expected to resist the summary closing of their old haunts, have shown no hesitation in patronizing the new official divans, which, decorated with gaudy coloured lattice-work fronts, faney lanterns, and bright red or blue curtains before the door, now form a striking feature in every street in the city. The quality of the official opium is-at any rate, for the present-good, and the price is but slightly higher than before.
The middle and upper classes of opium smokers, who have for the last three months been busy laying in and preparing a stock of opium sufficient to last them for some time to come, are not affected by the new Rules; they have, generally speaking, not registered themselves on the "black list," and they are apparently content to await developments.
If the arrangements described can hardly be regarded as carrying out the letter, and even the spirit of the Imperial Decrees against the use of opium, they are nevertheless a distinct step in the desired direction,
The sudden and complete stoppage of the supply of the drug in a city of some 400,000 inhabitants, where over 50 per cent. of the male population are credited with being opium smokers, would inevitably have led to serious rioting, in which foreigners These disturbances in and foreign property could hardly fail to have become involved, the capital would undoubtedly have found an echo throughout the province, with serious consequences not only to the peace and prosperity of the country, but also to the prospects of the anti-opium movement.
On the other hand, this partial application of the Regulations has the following advantages. An important reduction is made in the number of opium divans in the city. They were estimated at from 450 to 500; there are now only 300. The new divans will, moreover, presumably be better managed and under stricter police control than the old ones. The instinctive dislike of the Chinese to registration, apart from the stigma which the better class of public opinion is now attaching to indulgence in from continuing opium, will deter large numbers of what are called "mild smokers
the habit. Inveterate smokers who have any remnant of self-respect will doubtless now make a serious attempt to break off the habit, so as to avoid being placed on the "black be list," and possibly consigned to the unpopular opium refuges. Registration, again, may expected to deter young men from acquiring the habit. Much depends, of course, on the manner in which the subordinate officials and licensers of opium stores perform their duties. In Chengtu there is little doubt that the Regulations will be strictly enforced, but in the smaller cities everything depends on the local officials. One instance of their conception of their duty that has come to the notice of His Majesty's Consul-General is not encouraging. At Sui Fu, one of the principal towns of Szechuan, the opium divans were all closed with a flourish of trumpets in June last, but a resident missionary reports that many of the divans closed to the street have a back door open, and that opium smoking is clandestinely carried on all over the city. The police have made one or two ostentatious raids, but generally speaking connive at what they dare not suppress. The Prefect himself smokes opium,
On a recent journey overland from Chiating to Chengtu His Majesty's Consul- In not one of them could he learn that any General passed through five hsien cities. arrangements had been made for the closing of opium dens. At P'eng Shan Hsien the Magistrate, who is a notorious opium smoker, is reported to have laid in a stock of opium sufficient to last him ten years. This journey brought home to His Majesty's Consul-General in a most forcible manner the firm hold which the opium habit has on the people of the province. The chair coolies, porters, the so-called soldiers who formed the escort, were all confirmed opium smokers. In every town, market, and hamlet passed the air reeked of opium, and a glance at random through an open door was certain to reveal in the darkest corner the dim glow of the opium lamp. Even on the sacred Mount Omei a majority of the pilgrims met with on the road carried small boxes containing their opium requisites.
Official exhortations, probibitions, restrictions, &c., are of small avail to suppress a habit so deeply rooted and so widely distributed as opium smoking in Szechuan,
The only means whereby the Government of Szechuan can effectually eradicate the use of opium in the province is by restricting the supply of the drug by gradually limiting the area under cultivation. In October next the new opium crop will be sown, and the steps then taken by the Chinese authorities to limit the cultivation of the opium poppy will be watched with great interest.
4. Foochow.
Opium dens are said to have been closed since the 12th May, and bands of students go frequently about the streets to see that the Edict is obeyed. Not all the Foochow officials are themselves free from the opium habit, but they dare not do anything to show There are said to be seven opium that they are not in sympathy with the movement. refuges in the city and neighbourhood to and from which there is a constant stream of patients. There seems to be no doubt of the sincerity and determination of the larger class of gentry and literati in Foochow, and that the officials will be obliged to fall into line.
Ď. Hankow.
Missionary reports have reached His Majesty's Consul at Hankow, of which the following is a summary :—
Kansu. Another report from Chingchou, making the third to date, shows that up to the 31st July nothing beyond the posting of Proclamations had been done in that district. Experiments with various medicinal herbs were being made by the people themselves, so far without success. Opium is plentiful and low priced.
In P'ing Luang and the surrounding country within a radius of 50 miles the substance of the ten Articles had been made known by Proclamation in the beginning of July, but no active steps taken to enforce abstention from the opium habit. Opium dens remain open, the other Articles are ignored, and no example is set by either officials or gentry. The area under cultivation, as already reported, appears to be rather on the increase.
In Lanchou nothing whatever had been done hitherto except issuing three Proclama- tions, but, writing on the 12th August, a missionary reports that opium dens are now closed and shops obliged to take out licences, while officials have been appointed to examine the shop-keepers' books. It is refreshing to read that an official dispensary gives out anti-opium medicine which the recipient, unless he wishes to pay for it, is required to take on the spot. Articles 2 and 3, however, which provide for the issue of licences to smokers, and the fixing a time within which they must cease smoking, are
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