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regret thât in a majority of places no Proclamations have been issued informing the people of the Imperial Decree and its benevolent intention to deliver them from the evils of opium consumption, while in other places, even where Proclamations have been posted up, no serious attempt has been made by the responsible officials to enforce obedience to their contents. We hear of opium dens from which the sign-boards have indeed been taken down, but all the while it remains a matter of notoriety that doors are still open through which people can pass to smoke their opium as before. We see everywhere opium shops still carrying on their trade without there being, so far as we can learn, any diminution of their number, and we are informed on good authority that the manufacture and sale of morphia, which is a more insidious and even greater evil than opium itself, continues unchecked, a large proportion of this drug being used for manufacture of pills stated to be for the cure of the opium habit, while really they only deceive the purchasers and confirm them in their dependence on opium.
Under these circumstances we most respectfully but most earnestly implore your Excellency to initiate without delay a reform of the methods by which opium and morphia can be provided in places under your Excellency's jurisdiction. The British Government, which more than two years ago expressed its willingness to co-operate with the Chinese Government in limiting the importation of opium from India into China has recently ordered the immediate suppression of opium consump tion in Hong Kong, and has promised its extinction in the Straits Settlements also. The consumption of the drug has already been entirely suppressed in other British Colonies in which natives of China reside. The attitude of the American Government towards opium consumption in the Philippines is, no doubt, well known to your Excellency. Those of us who are British subjects are continually being asked by friends in Great Britain who wish well to China to supply reliable information which can be printed in England for general publication as to the extent to which the use of opiam is being really and effectively prevented by the Government of China. We' take the liberty of sending herewith an official book presented by command of His Britannic Majesty the King to both Houses of the British Parliament in February last. This book contains copies of the Reports that have been sent through His Britannic Majesty's Minister in Peking to the British Government detailing the action that has been taken in each of the eighteen provinces of China with a view to carrying out the Edict of two years ago. We would draw especial attention. to PP. 35-40.
"Your Excellency's memorialists are not unaware of the immense difficulties that in every land attend the endeavour to reform great public evils such as the opium is in China, especially when a large revenue to the country is being drawn from their maintenance, but they know also that these difficulties are never insuperable, for Heaven is always on the side of the right. They pray that your Excellency's tenure' of the exalted office of the Viceroy of Hu-Kwang provinces may be signalized by the rapid and entire suppression of the opium habit among the people, so that in the days to come your name may live in the annals of China as one of her greatest benefactors, and as one under whose long and enlightened rule the Provinces of Hupei and Hunan became happier, more prosperous, and more upright than they had ever been before.
In June the native papers contained many articles, probably as a result of the above Memorial, stating that active steps were being taken in the cities of Wuchang, Hankow, and Han-yang in closing and taxing shops and in burning opium pipes; but the reports state that these measures are not real, the drug is still sold, and the officials are easily hoodwinked. In fairness, however, it should be mentioned that the sale of opium has not been prohibited: what is commanded is sale under certain restrictions, with annual reduction, as recently enforced in Peking and elsewhere.
From Ichang, in the west of the province, it is reported that the opium houses in the city were closed on the 9th September, but the local authorities are said to have represented to the Governor-General the inexpediency of enforcing the prohibition at present as much sickness prevails, and the sudden cessation of smoking would probably be attended with serious consequences to those addicted to the babit.
Hunan,-Energetic steps in the anti-opium movement were taken by the officials of this province from the beginning, and there is nothing to show that they have been relaxed, or that the expectations held out in the last Report will not be fulfilled. Breaches of the Regulations are promptly dealt with. An instance may be given:
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In a city in the east of the province ten opium smoking-houses were secretly reopened. Under instructions from the Departmental Magistrate a raid was made at night by the police, the shops were confiscated and sold, and the proprietors were imprisoned, beaten, and cangued. The proceeds derived from the sale of the property were allotted to educational and police purposes. There is one point in connection with poppy cultivation in Hunan that requires some elucidation. It is said that the product of the poppy is "opium juice," which is used for mixing with the opium of other provinces, and is not in itself capable of being boiled into proper smoking consistency.
Kwangtung.-This, the Canton, province produces little or no opium, and the provincial authorities are not concerned with any restriction of cultivation. They are now busying themselves with the registration and licensing of opium shops and smokers. In shops are included wholesale dealers. I have already referred to the registering of smokers at Canton. The system at first introduced was imperfect in that the licences covered prepared opium only, so that smokers could purchase and prepare the raw opium themselves. I bave also stated that the licensing system is lax in other parts of the province, and time is required to modify and place it on a proper basis. The efforts of the authorities, in Canton at any rate, are strongly backed by public opinion. A considerable moral reaction against opium smoking has set in, and numbers of moderate smokers are voluntarily breaking themselves of the habit. Their new-found patriotism has a good deal to do with their attitude on the question, and the native press has not been without its influence on educated opinion. It is no longer fashionable to smoke opium at dinner parties, and young men do not have to acquire the taste as one of the polite accomplishments.
Kwangsi.This province draws its supplies of opium from Yunan and Kueichow the bulk of it coming from the former provinco by way of the West River. There is some difference of opinion as to whether the consumption has decreased at the Port of Wuchow, but importers declare that it has gone down about 40 per cent. during the present year. No decrease has manifested itself at Lungehow or Liuchow; but at Kueilin, the capital, as well as at the port of Nanning, there has been a considerable decrease as compared with three years ago, Many smokers are stated to have broken off the habit, while the feeling against it is so strong that few wish to acquire it. One sign of the diminution of the habit is found in the fact that a certain class of pipe and apparatus which formerly cost 5 dollars can now be bad for 50 cents. The licensing system has not yet been introduced. Some of the high officials of the province are opium smokers, and to this the present laxity is attributed. The supplies of opium from Yunnan have greatly fallen off.
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Szechuan.-This is the greatest opium-producing province in the Empire. have already mentioned the opening of a bureau at Chengtu for the purpose of testing the officials, and the imposition of a tax on salt to compensate for the loss of revenue from native opium. In the districts bordering on the Yang-tsze, between the port of Chungking and Hsü-chou Fu, Proclamations have repeatedly been issued. One at Lu Chon caused such consternation among the farmers that opium cultivation would have forthwith ceased, had not the Magistrate, fearing for the revenue, withdrawn it. The attitude of the local officials and gentry is strongly in favour of suppression. As regards the area under poppy, the production has decreased by more than 50 per cent., and is insufficient for home consumption. Many opium houses have been voluntarily closed. The price of opium has doubled, and the quantity sold is 50 per cent, less than usual. In the Yung-ning district, in the south of the province, cultivation has been much reduced, except in a few places. From districts lying on the west side of the Chengtu plain, such as Ch'iung Chou, P'u-chiang Ilsien, and Ta-yi IIsion, it is reported that the gentry of Chriung Chou show a general desire to give up the habit. The area of cultivation has been reduced by at least one-half as compared with last year; but nothing has yet been done to close opium houses and retail shops, which are under official control. Corruption is alleged to be rife inspectors. One official shop sells anti-opium pills containing opium dust.
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In the Pao-ning Prefecture, in the north of the province, Proclamations have been issued by the police authorities explaining the rules to be put in force for controlling the sale and consumption of the drug, and all smokers have been registered and licensed. The area under poppy has been considerably reduced. the Nan-pu district it was scarcely one-tenth of previous years, and the rise in price of the drug is compelling poor people to abandon the habit.
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In the Shun-ching Prefecture, in the east of the province, no official effort has yet been made to suppress cultivation or smoking, and where farmers had, in fear of
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