CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 166

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of China in its endeavours to suppress the production and consumption of opium in China, dealt with the following subjects

(a.) The gradual suppression of opium smoking;

(b.) The methods for preventing the abuse of the use of opium, which each country

is invited to re-examine;

(c.) The duty of adopting reasonable measures to prevent smuggling of opium; (d) The grave importance of controlling the manufacture, sale, and distribution of morphine;

(e) The advisability of investigating from a scientific point of view anti-opium remedies, and the properties and effects of opium and its products; and

(f) The application of the pharmacy laws to the subjects of each Government in the Consular districts, Concessions, and Settlements in China.

Copies of the above resolutions are inclosed.*

I have further the honour to transmit herewith the printed proceedings of the Commission, with Reports, Minutes, &c.t

On behalf of the British Commission I beg to request that our great appreciation of the valuable services rendered to us by Mr. W. D. Barnes, of the Straits Settlements Service, and of Mr. C. Clementi, of the Hong Kong Service, may be specially brought under the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I have, &c.

* Printed copy.

(Signed)

CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH,

† Copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament,

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

154

CHINA TRADE.

[April 13.]

CONFIDENTIAL.

SECTION 1.

[13756]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 13.)

(No. 126.) Sir,

Peking, March 22, 1909. I HAVE the honour to inclose a translation of a Decree published on the 15th instant on the opium question.

No mention is made in this document of the recent Conference at Shangbae, but its publication a few days after the final Reports of the Commission reached Peking and its allusions to the co-operation of other countries seem to indicate that it is intended in some measure as a supplement to the Commission's proceedings.

The multiplicity of long Decrees which have been issued on questions of reform can hardly fail to lessen their weight in the minds of the people, especially as they constantly admit that the authorities fail to carry out the measures which have been ordained. In the present instance, the principal object of the Central Government appears to be to impress upon the country the necessity of further taxation to replace the loss of revenue accruing from opium. The increase in the price of salt--which is a Government monopoly-is declared to be insufficient to meet the demands of army expenditure, which has depended hitherto on the opium revenue, and the various authorities are called upon to submit recommendations for making good the deficit.

(Translation.)

I have, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure in No. 1.

Decree respecting the Opium Question.

J. N. JORDAN.

THE policy of suppressing the use of opium, which we have recently laid down in our efforts to strengthen our nation and promote its education and welfare, embraces questions affecting the physical welfare of the race, the enrichment of the people, the prosperity of the land, and the curtailment of waste, all of which are of the utmost importance.

The nations of the world are watching our efforts and are animated with the desire to help us. Now in this question there are three main issues to consider, namely, the suppression of opium smoking, the suppression of its cultivation, and the raising of revenue to compensate for the loss in duties on foreign and native opium, and these three are interdependent. If any one issue is not worked out to a satisfactory conclusion it will be impossible to prevent the other two from being involved in delay, and it is to be feared that when the time limit has expired there will be nothing to show for our efforts.

During recent years several officials addicted to the vice have been impeached by the Opium Commissioners and by the various high provincial authorities and punished, but there are still large numbers of those who make a jest of the Regulations and disobey them.

In dealing with opium cultivation in the provinces the limit of time for its suppression, as laid down in the original Regulations, was ten years; but subsequently the high authorities of Yunnan, Szechuan, Shansi, Chilli, and Heilungchiang memorialized the Throne to the effect that in these provinces the cultivation of opium could be entirely suppressed in one year, thereby showing evidence of their zeal in the performance of their duties.

But it remains to be seen whether the suppression of opium cultivation will be carried on with equal determination in all the provinces, and whether the local officials, in addition to their efforts in this direction, will succeed in persuading the people to start the cultivation of other crops which will be of material benefit to

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