5
Annexes.
NATIVE PRODUCTION.
Amount in-
Province. 31st Year (1905). 32nd Year (1906). 33rd Year (1907). Fengt'ien 8,080 Piculs. 3,662 Piculs. 1,284 Piculs. Kirin 878 Piculs. 812 Piculs. 604 Piculs. Hei-lung-chiang 1,744 Piculs. 1,805 Piculs. 818 Piculs. Chihli 3,004 Piculs. 3,870 Piculs. 1,477 Piculs. Kiangsu 9,794 Piculs. 9,919 Piculs. 8,022 Piculs. Anhui 4,048 Piculs. 3,423 Piculs. 5,217 Piculs. Shantung 6,868 Piculs. 3,155 Piculs. 13,573 Piculs. Shansi 9,666 Piculs. 4,946 Piculs. 2,640 Piculs. Honan 5,283 Piculs. 4,074 Piculs. ... Shensi 10,743 Piculs. 10,815 Piculs. 8,088 Piculs. Kansu 4,818 Piculs. 7,988 Piculs. 4,142 Piculs. New Dominion 144 Piculs. 187 Piculs. 178 Piculs. Fuhkien 1,500 Piculs. 1,514 Piculs. 1,824 Piculs. Chekiang 8,716 Piculs. 4,724 Piculs. 4,206 Piculs. Kiangsi (Practically suppressed, only 78 piculs in 33rd year.) ... ... ... 8,800 Piculs. 120 Piculs. ... ... 1,293 Piculs. 1,242 Piculs. 51,134 Piculs. ... 158 Piculs. 57,468 Piculs. 137 Piculs. ... 44,519 Piculs. 89 Piculs. 77 Piculs. ... 66 Piculs. Under 1 Piculs. 7,574 Piculs. ... Under 1 Piculs. Under 1 Piculs. 7,928 Piculs. ... 15,950 Piculs. 14,532 Piculs. 9,950 Piculs. ... 12,250 Piculs. 142,698 Piculs. 148,103 Piculs. Total ... 119,983 Piculs. ...But as some equilibrium must be maintained between supply and demand, and as most of the native opium consumed in the south-east provinces comes from Yunnan and Kueichow, the immediate suppression in its entirety of the cultivation of the poppy in these provinces is impracticable. Local conditions will have to be considered, in conjunction with the amount of area under cultivation in each province, before determining as to whether a partial or entire suppression can be carried out. The total amount produced annually exceeds 100,000 piculs, and the proposals made by Ko Feng-shih relative to its suppression over a period of years were submitted by memorialists to the Governors-General and Governors of Kiangsu, Anhui, Shantung, and Honan. With the exception of the Governor of Shantung, who feared that a total suppression would result in illicit trafficking in opium, all three high officials approved of this measure being adopted, and the Provinces of Yunnan, Fuhkien, and Hei-lung-chiang have already reported the total prohibition of the cultivation of the poppy, so that in six provinces of China its cultivation will be totally prohibited by the second half of this year, and the entire production in the Empire reduced by 30 per cent. The production in Feng-tien, Kirin, Chihli, Shantung, Kiangsi, Chekiang, Hupeh, Hunan, the New Dominion (Isin Chiang), Kuangtung, and Kuangsi is very small, and can be suppressed entirely after the second half of next year, which will imply a further reduction of 10 per cent. in the entire production of the Empire. In Shansi a large amount is produced, but its sale is confined to the province, so that it will be the Governor's duty to take steps for its entire suppression in due course. Regarding Ssuch'uan, Kueichow, Kansu, and Shensi, most of the native opium consumed in China comes from these four provinces, and we now propose that an annual reduction of over 20 per cent. on the area under cultivation last year shall be carried out, until its entire suppression has been achieved. Success in accomplishing this result at an earlier date and in sowing the area in question with cereals shall be rewarded. A similar reduction of 20 per cent. must annually be effected on the amounts of opium from these four provinces placed for sale in the other provinces, so that in this way the reduction in the number of smokers will be commensurate with the reduction of the area under cultivation. Should it be found that any province, with a view to increasing its revenue, is not making the proper reduction in the amount of opium exported, the share allotted to that province under the Consolidated Opium Tax Regulations will be reduced by one-half. As regards foreign opium, although a ten years' limit has been fixed, if there are no smokers there will be no profit accruing to the foreigners importing opium, and the traffic will ipso facto cease before the ten years fixed upon.
On the other hand, the establishing of an official monopoly would mean that many complications would arise, and that no reduction of the ten years' period would be possible, and our object in suppressing the drug would be rendered futile. It behoves us to take advantage of the success attained already to eradicate the evil entirely, and thus attain a swifter realization of our wishes. A list of the amounts produced in each province for the last three years is appended, together with the sales both of native and foreign opium. We request your Majesties to give orders that the rules drawn up be rigidly enforced, and that any disobedience be punished, in order that the practice may speedily be abandoned, so as to insure the speedy eradication of an inveterate malady, and the bright prospect of a tranquil future.
On the 4th October the following Imperial Decree was received: “Approved.”
Province. In 31st Year (1905). In 32nd Year (1906). In 33rd Year (1907). Fengtien 8,080 Piculs. 3,662 Piculs. 1,284 Piculs. Kirin 878 Piculs. 812 Piculs. 340 Piculs. Hei-lung-chiang 1,744 Piculs. 1,805 Piculs. 818 Piculs. Chihli 6,400 Piculs. 5,860 Piculs. 5,040 Piculs. Kiangsu 12,999 Piculs. 9,069 Piculs. 7,088 Piculs. Anhui 5,020 Piculs. 3,814 Piculs. 8,216 Piculs. Shantung 5,217 Piculs. 6,319 Piculs. 2,489 Piculs. Shansi 13,429 Piculs. 10,331 Piculs. 8,262 Piculs. Honan 2,640 Piculs. 2,880 Piculs. 1,853 Piculs. Shensi 4,652 Piculs. ... ... Kansu Uncertain Uncertain 45 Piculs. New Dominion 144 Piculs. 187 Piculs. 178 Piculs. Fuhkien 6,000 Piculs. 6,324 Piculs. 5,334 Piculs. Chekiang 4,838 Piculs. 6,084 Piculs. 5,339 Piculs. Kiangsi ... ... ... Hupeh 11,429 Piculs. 6,734 Piculs. 9,741 Piculs. Hunan 10,383 Piculs. 11,518 Piculs. 11,927 Piculs. Ssuch'uan 2,829 Piculs. 3,668 Piculs. 4,611 Piculs. Kuangtung 25,084 Piculs. 26,549 Piculs. 8,731 Piculs. Kuangsi 7,283 Piculs. 8,856 Piculs. 8,425 Piculs. Yunnan 4,328 Piculs. Uncertain 3,795 Piculs. Kueichow 3,611 Piculs. Uncertain 9,744 Piculs. Total 141,525 Piculs. 135,693 Piculs. 97,788 Piculs.SALES of Native Opium.
469
5
Annexes.
NATIVE Production.
Amount in-
Province.
31st Year (1905).
32nd Year (1906).
33rd Year (1907).
Piculs.
Piculs.
Pionls.
Fengt'ien
8,080
3,662
1.284
Kirin
878
812
604
Hei-lung-chiang
1,744
1,805
818
Chihli
3.004
3,870
1,477
Kiangsu
9,794
9,919
8.022
y{}x{}
4,048
3,423
5,217
6,868
3,155
13,573
9,666
4,946
2,640
5,283
4,074
Shensi
10,743
10,815
8,088
Kangu
4,818
7,988
4,142
New Dominion
144
187
178
Fuhkien
1,500
1.514
1,824
8,716
4,724
4,206
(Practically suppressed, only 78 piculs in
33rd year.)
::::
8,800 120
1,293
1,242
51,134
158 57,468
137 44,519
89
77
66
Under 1 7,574
Under 1
Under 1
7,928
15,950
14,532
9,950
12,250
142,698
148,103
119,983
4
But as some equilibrium must be maintained between supply aud demand, and as most of the native opium consumed in the south-east provinces comes from Yunan and Kueichow, the immediate suppression in its entirety of the cultivation of the poppy in these provinces is impracticable. Local conditions will have to be considered, in conjunction with the amount of area under cultivation in each province, before determining as to whether a partial or entire suppression can be carried out. The total amount produced annually exceeds 100,000 piculs, and the proposals made by Ko Feng-shih relative to its suppression over a period of years were submitted by memorialists to the Governors-General and Governors of Kiangsu, Anhui, Shantung, and Honan. With the exception of the Governor of Shantung, who feared that a total suppression would result in illicit trafficking in opium, all three high officials approved of this measure being adopted, and the Provinces of Yunnan, Fulkien, and Hei-lung-chiang have already reported the total prohibition of the cultivation of the poppy, so that in six provinces of China its cultivation will be totally prohibited by the second half of this year, and the entire production in the Empire reduced by 30 per cent. The production in Feng-tien, Kirin, Chihli, Shantung, Kiangsi, Cheklang, Hupeh, Hunan, the New Dominion (Isin Chiang), Kuangtung, and Kuangsi is very small, and can be suppressed entirely after the second half of next year, which will imply a further reduction of 10 per cent. in the entire production of the Empire. In Shansi a large amount is produced, but its sale is confined to the province, so that it will be the Governor's duty to take steps for its entire suppression in due course. Regarding Ssuch'uan, Kueichow, Kansu, and Shansi, most of the native opium consumed in China comes from these four provinces, and we now propose that an annual reduction of over 20 per cent, on the area under cultivation last year shall be carried out, until its entire suppression has been achieved. Success in accomplishing this result at an earlier date and in sowing the area in question with cereals shall be rewarded. A similar reduction of 20 per cent. must annually be effected on the amounts of opium from these four provinces placed for sale in the other provinces, so that in this way the reduction in the number of smokers will be commensurate with the reduction of the area under cultivation. Should it be found that any province, with a view to increasing its revenue, is not making the proper reduction in the amount of opium exported, the share allotted to that province under the Consoidated Opium Tax Regulations will be reduced by one-half. As regards foreign opium, although a ten years' limit has been fixed, if there are no smokers there will be no profit accruing to the foreigners importing opium, and the traffic will ipso facto cease before the ten years fixed upon.
On the other hand, the establishing of an official monopoly would mean that many complications would arise, and that no reduction of the ten years' period would be possible, and our object in suppressing the drug would be rendered futile. It behoves us to take advantage of the success attained already to eradicate the evil entirely, and thus attain a swifter realization of our wishes. A list of the amounts produced in each province for the last three years is appended, together with the sales both of native and foreign opium. We request your Majesties to give orders that the rules drawn up be rigidly enforced, and that any disobedience be punished, in order that the practice may speedily be abandoned, so as to insure the speedy eradication of an inveterate malady, and the bright prospect of a tranquil future.
On the 4th October the following Imperial Decree was received: “ 'Approved."
Anhui Shantung
Shansi Honan
Chekiang Klangsi
Hupel Hunan Ssuch'nan Kuangtung Kuangsi Yunnan Kueicbow
Total
SALS of Native Opium.
In 31st Year
In 32nd Year
Province.
(1905).
(1906).
In 33rd Year (1907).
Piculs.
Piculs.
Piculas.
Fengtien
8,080
3,662
1,284
Kirin
878
812
340
Hei-lung-chiang
1,744
1,805
818
Chibli
6,400
5,860
5,040
Kiangsu
12,999
9,069
7,088
Anhui
5,020
3,814
8,216
Shantung
5,217
6,319
2,489
Shansi
13,429
10,331
8.262
Hoлan
2,6.0
2,880
1,853
About
Shensi
4,652
aunnally
Kansui
Uncertain
Uncertain
45
New Dominion
144
187
178
Fublien
6,000
6,324
5,334
Chekiang
4,838
6,084
5,339
Kiangai
Ilupei Iluna Ssuch'uan
Kuangtung
Kuangsi
Yunnan
Kuelchow
Total
11,429
6,734
9,741
10,383
11,518
11,927
2,829
3,668
4,611
25,084
26,549
8,731
7,283
8,856
8,425
4,328 Uncertain
3,795
3,611
Uncertain
9,744
4,359
2,985
510
:
141,525
135,693
97,788
469
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