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infant, whose father, Prince Ch'un, became the Regent and the real ruler of the Empire. A glance at the three previous reports that have been written on this subject will show how important a factor in the anti-opium campaign were the energy and determination of the aged Dowager-Empress. The reports have all dwelt on the importance attached by the court and the Central Government to the conscientious fulfilment of the Imperial Edict of the 20th September, 1906, and of Decree followed decree, instructions the regulations framed for its enforcement.
were repeated at frequent intervals, and the determination of the Palace to enforce obedience to its orders was shown by the removal from office of high dignitaries and Princes who had failed to break off the opium habit within the prescribed limit of time. Annual reports were called for from each Viceroy and governor as to the progress of the measures taken to decrease the cultivation and consumption of opium. Prince Kung and other high officers of State were appointed Imperial commissioners to enforce the application of the prohibition in the case of persons holding official positions. Officers of high degree, in one case a member of the Imperial family, were denounced by the commissioners and cashiered by Imperial decree for infractions of the regulations. Officials who showed themselves particularly zealous in the campaign were rewarded. In short, everything proclaimed that the court and the Central Government were sincere and zealous in their crusade and that all that they could do to help in carrying out the task that China had set herself would be done. This attitude on the part of the court was an indispensable condition of success. It has been repeatedly stated that the progress achieved in a province depended on the energy and determination of the governor of the province, but it is no less true that the energy and determination of the governor corresponds in turn to the sincerity and earnestness shown by the Central Government in their prosecution of the campaign. Whatever may have been said in former reports as to the venality and slackness of local officials, or even in certain cases of the want of energy of the high provincial authorities, there has only been one opinion as to the activity and fixity of purpose that has marked the attitude of the court and the Central Government. It is only natural when such a break in the established order of things occurred as that caused in China by the simultaneous death of the Emperor and the Empress-Dowager that many persous interested in the movement for the suppression of opium smoking should have had doubts as to the effect which the change of rulers might have on the Sufficient time has now attitude of the Central Government towards that movement.
elapsed for one to be able to state with confidence that there has been no change in the attitude either of the court or the Central Government, and that the Prince Regent has shown the same energy and determination in the anti-opium campaign as his predecessor.
Only two Imperial decrees referring to the opium question have been issued this year, but as a matter of fact enough, and more than enough, had already been done in the way of issuing decrees and regulations. Indeed, the multiplicity of these long decrees could not fail to lessen their weight in the minds of the people, especially as they so often contained admissions that the authorities had failed to carry out the prescribed regulations. The first decree of the present reign began by emphasising the necessity of taking the most stringent measures to put a stop to both the cultiva tion and consumption of opium. It was published on the 15th March, shortly after the Opium Commission at Shanghae had closed its sittings, but it contained no reference to the results of the conference, though it made allusions to the co-operation of foreign countries. The principal object of the decree appeared to be to impress on the people the necessity of further taxation to replace the loss in revenue accruing from opium, the increased salt tax not being sufficient to make good the loss, and the The various provincial authorities were invited to make suggestions as to new taxes. second decree, issued on the 17th June, repeated the general injunctions contained in the first, and made mention of the total suppression of cultivation that had been effected in some provinces. It was, however, specially directed to the question of the suppression of smoking among officials. It stated that the regulations in regard to the examination and cure of officials had been evaded, that only petty officials as a rule had been sent up for examination, and that many officials who had been declared cured of the habit had taken to smoking again. The Imperial commissioners for the suppression of opium smoking were ordered to issue instructions to all yamêns outside Peking that the most careful examination of all officials should be made, and no partiality shown to anyone.
Apart, however, from the issue of decrees, the continued energy and interest of the Central Government has been shown by its general attitude towards the question
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and by the approval bestowed on any governor or other official who may have specially distinguished himself in the campaign. This in turn has had its influence on the Viceroys, governors, and other high provincial authorities, who have in most provinces during the past year shown greatly increased zeal in enforcing the anti- opium regulations.
The lack of uniformity in the practical steps taken in the various provinces deplored by Sir A. Hosie still continues, and greatly increases the difficulty of arriving at any reliable estimate of the progress that has been made. The promised statistics as to the acreage under poppy cultivation, which were called for from the various local authorities, are not yet forthcoming; in fact, it is doubtful if they ever will be, and in the absence of any such reliable statistics it is manifestly impossible to give even an approximate estimate of the proportionate diminution in the area of cultiva- tion. Except in two cases, where our consular officers have undertaken special journeys of investigation, the information on which I have had to rely in the compila- tion of this report has been of a fragmentary and often contradictory nature. Memorials presented to the throne by Viceroys and governors, and other similar official proclamations, are apt to be unduly optimistic. The estimates of production for the years 1906 and 1908, based on reports supplied by the Commissioners of Customs at the various treaty ports, erred in the same direction. The quarterly reports of the consuls contain much useful information, but in most cases they give general impressions rather than definite facts, and, indeed, it is difficult to see how this could be otherwise. Even the information derived from the missionaries spread all over the Empire varies very much in value, and is often very contradictory, but it is on the whole the most valuable asset in our budget of knowledge, and the very fact of their reports being so contradictory enhances, in my mind, their reliability. Without the kind assistance of the missionaries in supplying periodical reports in regard to the districts in which they reside or through which they travel, it would be impossible to obtain even such a general impression as I hope to be able to convey by this résumé as to the progress being made throughout China, and I wish to express my sense of indebtedness to the missionaries who have supplied so much valuable information to His Majesty's consuls in the various provinces.
From the information gleaned from the above-mentioned sources I have compiled short accounts of the measures adopted in cach province, and of the success which has attended their enforcement, but, as I shall explain at greater length later, the deductions which can be made from these accounts are based rather on hypothesis or impression than on specific facts. I must, however, first devote a few words to another event that has occurred in China during the period under review, namely, the assembling of the International Opium Commission at Shanghae last February.
Many enthusiasts had undoubtedly formed exaggerated ideas 29 to the assistance that China would derive from the results of this commission in the groat task that she had set before her. Hopes were expressed in some quarters that China might be freed from the obligation of observing existing treaty engagements with regard to the import of opium, should she succeed in effectively stopping the cultivation of opium throughout the Empire within a less period than ten years. There is no gainsaying the fact that China has not an entirely free hand in dealing with the opium question, and that she is to a certain extent hampered by existing treaty rights in taking measures for the regulation of the opium trade. His Excellency Tuan Fang, Viceroy of Nanking, in his speech declaring the commission open, dwelt at great length on the question of the necessity of the Chinese Government making opium, foreign and native, an official monopoly, quoting the opinion expressed by Mr. Leech in his first general report (see p. 32 of China No. 1 of 1908) that "Whether China can completely obtain the goal she seeks withont Government control of opium, both native-grown and imported, is somewhat doubtful." The Viceroy stated that the Imperial decree of the 20th September, 1908, had fixed the term of ten years for the suppression of opium, that in some districts the production had already been reduced 80 per cent., that in certain provinces cultivation would be abolished during 1909, and that total suppression would be effected throughout the Empire in two or three years, in which case a monopoly of foreign opium would be necessary in order to eradicate the evil. His Excellency said that he was expressing the views of the Chinese Government on the subject, and recommended them to the serious consideration of the commission. These brave words naturally gave rise to great expectations, and there was doubtless some feeling of disappointment when the proceedings of the commission came to an end without any further tangible result than the adoption of the following nine resolutious :--
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