}
2
shops, and that licences he given them to protect them in their business. The British The Foreign consul forwarded this appeal to the Chinese Foreign Board of Foochow. Board sent instructions to the Kucheng officials. The shops have been reopened, and the Kucheng people are at the present moment in a state of great disappointment, anxiety, and excitement. I must mention that when the letter of the Foreign Board reached Kucheng, the Anti-Opium Society sent an appeal to me asking for help.) I thought it worth while to write to the agent of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co. After reviewing the circumstances of the case, I wrote as follows:-
<<
In writing to you about this matter I take as my ground of appeal the facts that---
"1. The British House of Commons has openly declared its conviction that the British Indian opium traffic with China ought as soon as is reasonably possible to be brought to an end.
"2. Steps have already been taken to give effect to this conviction.
"3. China has been warned that the gradual reduction of the opium import may depend upon her success and sincerity in reducing her own production of home-grown opium.
"4. She has been promised sympathy and encouragement in the admittedly tremendous task of dealing with this evil.
"The present iustance appears to be one in which sympathy and encouragement might reasonably be expected by the Chinese. The Kucheng district has taken the matter up in earnest, and with some success. Under these circumstances, and in view of Great Britain's openly professed attitude of sympathy, it seems regrettable that a strong British firm should use its influence to support Chinese opium dealers in resisting the reforming efforts of the Chinese officials and community in an up-country district.
"I quite understand that your protest is against what you consider to be a contra- vention of the existing treaty, but I am writing under the impression that you have protested, not because you can strictly claim that the proclamation affects any place of business in Kucheng carried on under your firm's name, or as an agency of your firm, but rather because Chinese opium sellers in the district, whose success in this particular business of course affects your own, have appealed to you for support. If this letter appears to you to be written under any mistaken impression as to the facts or the rights of the case, I shall be greatly obliged if you will be good enough to explain the point to me clearly, that I may in turn do my best to explain to those on whose behalf I am writing; for whilst I certainly take the view that the British Government and British subjects should do all they can by sympathy and practical encouragement to help the Chinese in their efforts to carry out their side of the present agreement as to the reduction of the opium, I at the same time heartily desire to see your own and other British firms retaining the good-will and confidence of the Chinese people. It is in this spirit that I now venture to write and ask you to reconsider, and, if possible, to withdraw, your present opposition to the efforts of the Kucheng officials and people."
To this letter I received a brief reply from the agent of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co., that as the matter was a purely commercial one and had been fully dealt with by the British and Chinese Governments, he was not at liberty to enter into any discussion on the subject such as my letter would invite.
I have no complaint to make of this reply. From the standpoint of the writer it probably appeared to be the correct way of doing his duty to his firm. It is possible that I should have done better to appeal to the heads of the firm rather than to the local agent.
After getting the opinions of those best qualified here to interpret the treaties I am obliged to admit that it does seem contrary to the treaty that the sale of foreign opium should be prohibited by local officials. On the other hand, the Chinese anti- opium people rely upon a clause which says:-
It will be "The importer will sell it" (foreign opium) "only at the port. carried into the interior by Chinese only, and only as Chinese property. The foreign trader will not be allowed to accompany it."
At present, however, I can only understand the treaty to mean that, although the foreign opium, after the import duty has been paid, goes into the interior as Chinese property, yet it goes as a recognised legitimate article of sale.
3
Assuming this to be the correct view, it is evident that the efforts that have been made in Kucheng must to a great extent prove futile. I think I am right in saying that in China it is being realised that this opium evil can be better dealt with quickly and decisively than by a gradual process. In Kucheng the policy of the reformers has been to cut off the local supplies entirely; this can be done, they argue, by prohibiting foreign as well as native opium and by closing all opium shops. To this end they have made earnest and self-sacrificing efforts; but it seems almost certain that the treaty will be interpreted against them. A special interest attaches to this case. So far as I know, Kucheng county is the first district in China to raise a fund to compensate the Imperial Exchequer for the loss of revenue that must occur from the closing of the shops. If they succeed in their efforts other localities are sure to follow: local prohibition will probably become the fashion, and real headway will be made in suppressing the evil.
I hope that this narrative, which I have taken care to verify, may be of use as an argument in favour of further negotiations between the two Governments with a view to a relaxation of the present treaties in favour of China, especially in the way of permitting local prohibition of the sale of all kinds of opium,
H. McC. E, PRICE, Bishop in Fuhkien.
Foochow, South China, September 9, 1909.
P.S. September 18.-Later news from Kucheng district says that the Kucheng magistrate, backed by the Public Benefit Association, is maintaining his opposition to the sale of the opium in any part of the county. The opium shops have been closed again. Three public meetings were held within a week, with an audience of 500 men on each occasion, the main object being to encourage the people to back up the efforts of the magistrate and the Public Benefit Association.
On the 8th instant (September) six leading opium dealers in Kucheng city were apprehended on charges of disregarding the prohibition of the magistrate, selling native opium as foreign, and selling opium without licence. These men are now awaiting trial. The people are anxiously awaiting further developments, knowing that the Chinese opium dealers will use all possible means to get the treaty interpreted in their favour.
H. McC. E. P.
277
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.