CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 52

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The following is a table of the customs returns of the import of opium into

Formosa for the past three years :-

Countries whence Imported.

1908.

1909.

1910 (first 10 months).

British India

Turkey

Persia

Total

Ib. 133,919 7,500

Ib. 141,047

lb.

106,987

504

82,888

200,605

210,212

114,518

342,024

352,263

304,393

The above table shows, firstly, that the import for the first ten months of 1910 is practically at the same rate as for the last two years, and, secondly, that Turkish opium has largely taken the place of Indian opium.

Mr. Consul Rentiers states that this is the first year that Turkish opium has been imported in considerable quantities to Formosa, that it is cheaper than either Indian or Persian, and that it seems probable that will eventually supersede the other kinds, the import of which has been greatly reduced during the current year.

Finally, Mr. Rentiers mentions that Messrs. Samuel, Samuel, and Co. have imported this year 500 cases of Turkish opium direct--a statement which apparently is at variance with the information received by your Excellency, that the supply purchased by that firm in Constantinople was shipped by the Mitsui, Bussan, Kaisha line via Osaka. He adds, however, that other importers of Turkish opium are Mitsui's and Nakamura of Osaka, both of whom import vià Japan.

I have, &c.

CLAUDE MACDONALD.

Euclosure 3 in No. 1.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Consul Rentiers to Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

Tamsui, January 26, 1911. IN reply to your despatch of the 9th instant, I have the honour to inform you that, so far as I can ascertain, Turkish and Persian opium are used solely in substitution for Indian opium to be made up for smoking purposes. I am informed that the Monopoly Bureau combines opium of various degrees of strength in order to maintain a certain standard in the opium which it issues for smoking, and this is given as the reason why various kinds are used in varying proportions, according to the strength of each kind, which is said to vary.

I am informed that very small quantities of morphine and other drugs are obtained at the Monopoly Bureau in testing the opium prior to its treatment in the preparation of smoking opium, but that no morphine is manufactured here for the market.

I append below the quantities of opium imported during the year 1910-

Indian.. Persian Turkish

lh.

106,987

135,939

129,488

372.414

Total

I have, &c.

JOHN B. RENTIERS.

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