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who, it was understood, would strictly confine himself to delivering a welcome to the Commissioners. The same assurance was given to the American Delegates.
After the reading of the English version, his Excellency, as had been arranged. retired, and the room was cleared of all except the Commissioners, their Assessors, and Mr. Liu Yuk.lin then rose and one or two subordinates of the various delegations.
This proposed that Bishop Brent should be elected President of the Commission. was seconded by Sir C. Clementi Smith and carried, and Bishop Brent was conducted to the chair by his proposer and seconder. The President then delivered a short address, after which he, with the consent of the Commission, nominated Mr. F. W. Carey, of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and M. Léon de Gieter, of the Imperial University at Tien-tain, as Secretaries. The latter is French and his appointment was made in part to meet the wishes of the French Commissioners, who desire the proceedings to be conducted in French as well as English.
The Commission afterwards decided to leave the question of the credentials of the various Commissioners to the decision of the President, who stated that he was satisfied to recognize all those whose Government had notified their appointment to the Government of the United States.
After some discussion, Sir C. Clementi Smith proposed that a Committee should be appointed to deal with rules and procedure, each delegation to nominate one member. This was accepted, and nominations at once proceeded; Mr. Laidlaw, M.P. (who was afterwards appointed Chairman by the Committee), being nominated as representative of the British delegation. On the motion of Sir C. Clementi Smith, the Commission then adjourned till 2 o'clock to-morrow to receive the Report of the Committee.
Sir C. Clementi Smith, Mr. W. D. Barnes, from Singapore, and Mr. C. Clementi, from Hong Kong, arrived here on the 25th ultimo; Mr. Laidlaw arrived yesterday, or about the Mr. Brungate is due to-morrow, and Mr. Mackenzie King on 15th instant.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
ALEX. HOSIE,
Inclosure 9 in No. 1.
Newspaper Extract.
Address by Tuan Fung at Opening of International Opium Commission.
Gentlemen,
ON the 20th September, 1906, an Imperial Edict was issued probibiting the culti- vation and use of opium throughout the Empire within a period of ten years. According to a report from the Ministry concerned, the result of any inquiry into the question shows that, up to the present, progress has been made in reducing the area under cultivation of the poppy plant in the various provinces. As a matter of fact, the area where the poppy has been cultivated in the Kiangnan portion of Kiangsu Province has been now reduced by 80 per cent., while it is on record that from the six Provinces of Shansi, Yunnan, Fuhkien, Anhui, Honan, and Heilungkiang, or Northern Manchuria, Memorials have been presented to the Throne reporting that the cultivation of the poppy will be entirely Even more than that: the gentry and stopped by the winter of the present year. merchants of the various provinces of the Empire have everywhere started societies to For instance, we have exhort and assist opium smokers to get rid of the baneful habit. an Association in Fuhkien Province known as the Anti-Poison Society, which has been making considerable progress in its campaign against the drug.
Indeed, from the present outlook, together with the state of public opinion throughout our Empire, there are great hopes that the consumption of opium can be stopped in its entirety before the end of the prescribed limit of ten years.
To-day it is my good fortune to be present at this International Conference, having been appointed by Imperial Rescript to open the proceedings. I am convinced that the countries of the world recognize that the benevolence and philanthropy which have led to the gathering of the present Conference in the interests of civilization, and I may state that the people of our whole Empire are most grateful for it. It will need more eloquence than mine to fittingly express the cordial welcome with which our country hails the inauguration of this International Opium Conference, but I may take this
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opportunity to first respectfully tender the thanks of my Government and that of the people of this Empire to the American Government for initiating the movement which has brought about this Conference, and next to thank the Governments of the various countries here represented for so heartily joining in it.
As the Representative of the whole Empire, 1 beg leave to give this Conference some of our ideas on the subject in view.
I may be permitted to express my belief that this Conference will be principally guided by the feelings of reason, benevolence, and philanthropy in its desire to eradicate à poison and a bane to mankind. This being universally recognized, it becomes us to put aside all prejudices of nationality and race and be guided solely by that world-wide philanthropy and enlightenment which have brought about this International Con- ference. For instance, the manner in which the Governments of the countries concerned have set about to stop the consumption of opium in their Colonies and dependencies such as Formosa, Aunam, the Philippine Islands, Java, &c., has been to undertake the monopoly of the sale of opium therein, a procedure which China alone has not yet put into actual force; as a matter of fact, the mere prohibition of opium without the Government having the monopoly of the sale of the drug will prevent the Government from learning the number of persons suffering from the habit, nor can it put into effect any laws for the suppression of opium consumption. Mr. Leech, "Whether China can com- Councillor of the British Legation in Peking, has stated: pletely obtain the good she seeks without Government control of opium both native- grown and imported is somewhat doubtful," an opinion which gains my deep admiration for his wisdom and far-sightedness, and merits our sincere thanks for his warm sympathy in our endeavours. What, however, is to be apprehended is that Chinese merchants importing opium may claim that such a step will be contrary to former Treaties and be disadvantageous to their trade and so oppose it, thereby preventing China from putting into effect a proper control over opium and the spread of the opium prohibition throughout the country. Thus not only will it not agree with the sincere intentions first expressed by the British Government to give every assistance to China, but also be a hindrance to the movement initiated by the American Government; nor will it enable the various countries represented in this Couference to show their unanimity in assisting this Conference to solve the questions before it. This is a matter to be regretted, indeed, and it is my earnest hope that this Conference will thoroughly go into this matter during its deliberations,
It was at first intended to limit the abolition of opium in this Empire to ten years, but the various provinces have been able to so reduce the cultivation of the poppy that it would seem that this cultivation may be entirely stopped within the next couple of years. Moreover, the sale of prepared opium has also been rapidly reduced to over one- half, so that we may certainly be able to entirely stop the sale and consumption of the With the complete native-grown opium within the prescribed limit of ten years, stoppage of our native-grown opium it would follow that the importation of the foreign drug will also stop as a natural sequence. Such being the case, the people of my country will have reason to congratulate themselves on what has gone before, and this we owe to the assistance given by the British Government and to the labours of the American On the Government in initiating the movement which brought about this Conference. other hand, the attempts of this Government to suppress opium are hampered by existing Treaties. Should a way be found by which such clauses in the Treaties that restrict the freedom of my Government in its work of abolishing the consumption of the drug in the Empire may be got over with, so that we may succeed in accomplishing our great and important task, fortunate indeed will it be for our Government and the people of this Empire. It is my earnest hope that this Conference will use its best endeavours to thresh out this question.
On the whole, since the main object of this Conference will be to consider the question of opium, fortunate indeed will it be for the whole world if by the labours of the Conference a way be found to shorten the limit and bring about the abolition of opium at an early date. I do not think that national interests and division of races will be brought forward and produce difficulties between our countries, thereby hampering the work of opium abolition.
What is the meaning of the phrase: "To seek for gain and yet fear to overcome difficulties"? The honourable gentlemen who are present this day as members of the Conference have all been selected by their respective Governments for their benevolence, Since such is the case, I am certain that no one amongst this philanthropy, and fame. distinguished assembly will act contrary to the benevolent and enlightened objects I will therefore be the first to declare to this which have brought them together here.
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