Enclosure 4.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
0.0
| 46946 591[May 7.]
SECTION 1.
[16282]
Re: 23 DEC 08
No. 1.
Extract from the "Times" of May 7, 1908.
THE OPIUM TRAFFIC.
Mr. W. Johnson (Warwickshire, Nuneaton) rose to call attention to the opium traffic in the East, and to move: "That this House, having regard to its Resolution unanimously adopted on the 30th May, 1906, that the Indo-Chinese opium trade is morally indefensible, welcomes the action of His Majesty's Government in diminishing the sale of opium for export, and thus responding to the action of the Chinese Government in their arrangements for the suppression of the consumption of the drug in that Empire; and this House also urges His Majesty's Government to take steps to bring to a speedy close the system of licensing opium dens now prevailing in some of our Crown Colonies, more particularly Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and Ceylon." He said that it was agreed, both nationally and internationally, that this traffic must be put an end to. It was a question between money and righteousness. (Hear, hear.) The House of Commons, the leaders of the Churches, and the whole country were behind the movement which he represented. There were difficulties in the way, but the Government must overcome them and put the righteousness of the cause before money. Since the Resolution on this subject passed by the House in 1906 much had been done, but much more might have been done. China had been moving, and had done something on her own behalf; but the progress was too slow. There was ample evidence now that China was sincere in this matter. It was reported from Peking in May of last year that the last of the opium dens in Peking was closed. In the month following all the opium dens in the native quarter of Shanghai were closed; but, on the other hand, in the British and American concessionary quarters the Municipal Council declined to do more than to discontinue the grant of annual licences, and it was not till the 20th March of that year they proposed to close one-fourth of the dens on the 31st July, and the other three-fourths within two years. He thought that proved that the Chinese were more sincere than we were ourselves. In the self-governing Colonies the traffic in opium was forbidden altogether, but in the Crown Colonies things were different; in Hong Kong nothing had been done, while in the Straits Settlements there had only been a Committee of Inquiry appointed. The Americans, on the other hand, had closed all the opium dens in the Philippine Islands, and he asked the Colonial and Foreign Offices to imitate their example and endeavour not to reduce but to put an end to the use of opium.
Mr. T. C. Taylor (Lancashire, South-East, Radcliffe), who seconded, said he had lately visited China, practically for the purpose of studying this question, and he had come to the conclusion that all the best elements in China were resolved to put an end to this traffic. It was not merely an edict of the Government, but opium reform had in it all the elements of a great national movement, and he could recite by the score stories of the scenes of enthusiasm among those who were devoted to the suppression of the habit. In Shanghai, which was an international Settlement, he regretted to say that the municipality had not done all that they ought to have done to close the opium dens at a more rapid rate, while in Hong Kong, a British Settlement, the story was "nothing attempted, nothing done." He was glad to know there was a strong anti-opium movement in Singapore, and he hoped that the Report of a Commission on the subject would soon be published. Japan had sternly penalized the use and sale of opium, but even Japan had yielded to the temptation to make revenue from opium in Formosa and Korea. How could we reproach our ally when we allowed the yellow peril, gold, to infect our own possessions? (Hear, hear.) China would become one of the great nations of the world, and was it our interest that a reformed China should look back on a time when our Government, against the will of the Chinese people, provided the means for their indulgence in this debasing vice? (Hear, hear.)
Colonel Seely said it would be convenient if he replied at once on the colonial aspect of the case, partly because the Colonial Office had been declared to be the
B [2967 g--1]
Enclosure 4.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
0.0
| 46946
591
[May 7.]
SECTION 1.
[16282]
Re: 23 DEC 08
No. 1.
Extract from the "Times" of May 7, 1908.
THE OPIUM TRAFFIC.
Mr. W. Johnson (Warwickshire, Nuneaton) rose to call attention to the opium traffic in the East, and to move: "That this House, having regard to its Resolution unanimously adopted on the 30th May, 1906, that the Indo-Chinese opium trade is morally indefensible, welcomes the action of Ilis Majesty's Government in diminishing the sale of opium for export, and thus responding to the action of the Chinese Govern. ment in their arrangements for the suppression of the consumption of the drug in that Empire; and this House also urges His Majesty's Government to take steps to bring to a speedy close the system of licensing opium dens now prevailing in some of our Crown Colonies, more particularly Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and Ceylon," He said that it was agreed, both nationally and internationally, that this traffic must be put an end to. It was a question between money and righteousness. (Hear, bear.) The House of Commons, the leaders of the Churches, and the whole country were behind the movement which he represented. There were difficulties in the way, but the Govern- ment must overcome them and put the righteousness of the cause before money. Since the Resolution on this subject passed by the House in 1906 much had been done, but much more might have been done. China had been moving, and had done something on her own behalf; but the progress was too slow. There was ample evidence now that China was sincere in this matter. It was reported from Peking in May of last year that the last of the opium dens in Peking was closed. In the month following all the opium dens in the native quarter of Shanghae were closed; but, on the other hand, in the British and American concessionary quarters the Municipal Council declined to do more than to discontinue the grant of annual licences, and it was not till the 20th March of that they proposed to close one-fourth of the dens on the 31st July, and the other three-fourths within two years. He thought that proved that the Chinese were more sincere than we were ourselves. In the self-governing Colonies the traffic in opium was forbidden altogether, but in the Crown Colonies things were different; in Hong Kong nothing had been done, while in the Straits Settlements there had only been a Committee of Inquiry appointed. The Americans, on the other hand, had closed all the opium dens in the Philippine Islands, and he asked the Colonial and Foreign Offices to imitate their example and endeavour not to reduce but to put an end to the use of opium.
this
year
Mr. T. C. Taylor (Lancashire, South-East, Radcliffe), who seconded, said he had lately visited China, practically for the purpose of studying this question, and he had come to the conclusion that all the best elements in China were resolved to put an end to this traffic. It was not merely an edict of the Government, but opium reform had in it all the elements of a great national movement, and he could recite by the score stories of the scenes of enthusiasm among those who were devoted to the suppression of the habit. In Shanghae, which was an international Settlement, he regretted to say that the municipality had not done all that they ought to have done to close the opium dens at a more rapid rate, while in Hong Kong, a British Settlement, the story was "nothing attempted, nothing done." He was glad to know there was a strong anti- opium movement in Singapore, and he hoped that the Report of a Commission on the subject would soon be published. Japan had sternly penalized the use and sale of opium, but even Japan had yielded to the temptation to make revenue from opium in Formosa and Corea. How could we reproach our ally when we allowed the yellow peril, gold, to infect our own possessions? (Hear, hear.) China would become one of the great nations of the world, and was it our interest that a reformed China should look back on a time when our Government, against the will of the Chinese people, provided the means for their indulgence in this debasing vice? (Hear, hear.)
Colonel Seely said it would be convenient if he replied at once on the colonial aspect of the case, partly because the Colonial Office had been declared to be the
B [2967 g--1]
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