CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 376

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

OPIUM.

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[March TRECO SREDOZAPF 13

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(No. 96.) Sir,

No. 1,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 17.)

Peking, March 3, 1913. IN my despatch No. 80 of the 18th February I stated that I had informed the Wai-chiao Pu that I was unable to add Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan to the list of provinces into which the entry of Indian opium should be prohibited, but expressed my readiness for & joint investigation of these three provinces at the earliest possible moment, on the lines laid down by article 4 of the 1911 agreement, and that the Wai-chiao Pu had replied that they were very willing to co-operate to this end.

At an interview with the Foreign Minister on the 5th February I introduced the subject of joint investigation. In reply to his enquiries, I intimated that I was willing to appoint British consular officers for the work as soon as I was notified that the three provinces were ready for inspection-that was as soon as the crops were really maturing. I laid stress on the point that the dates should not be postponed until it was too late to do the work properly, and expressed my desire to have the examination thoroughly conducted this year. The Foreign Minister promised that he would enquire as to suitable dates, and that he would arrange with me as to the delegates who would be sent.

At a second interview, on the 21st February, I informed the Foreign Minister that I had instructed Mr. Wilton to hold himself in readiness to make definite arrangements for the joint investigation with the deputy to be appointed by Mr. Lu. Again, on the 28th February, I urged the Foreign Minister to have the preliminary arrangements effected within the next fortnight. He promised to lose no time in attending to this

matter.

I have the honour to give below the latest consular information of the opium conditions in Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan.

Shantung-His Majesty's consul at Tsinan reported on the 23rd February that the poppy had been sown in the west and south-west, and to a less appreciable extent in the east of the province. He also gave an indication that cultivation in small patches for domestic consumption was being carried on. No difficulty appears to have been experienced at Tsinan in obtaining opium for smoking purposes by those known to the retail dealers. He further reported that the sale and purchase of opium had now been legalised under a buying permit at certain specified shops.

The acting British consul at Chefoo confirms the information of some cultivation in the east. He reported on the 8th February that the energy with which the regulations for controlling the sale and consumption of opium were enforced throughout the province some three or four years ago has, to a great extent, abated. He added that it is suspected that smuggling of the drug is taking place to an enormous extent at Chefoo. The orders of the Governor, forbidding the importation and sale of native opium, appeared to be a dead letter so far as Chefoo was concerned.

Accounts

Anhui-His Majesty's consul at Wuhu reported, on the 14th February, that the province had been divided into twelve circuits, each of which is placed under an official, whose duty it is to suppress opium and prevent the cultivation of the poppy. from missionaries appear to show that cultivation is not taking place, except perhaps in remote districts, difficult of access, in the south. As I stated in my despatch No. 39 of the 23rd January, the poppy is being cultivated in the northern districts of Po-chou, Shou-chou, and Ying-chou.

Hunan. His Majesty's consul at Changsha reported, on the 6th February, that the poppy was being grown along the borders of the adjacent provinces of Hupeh, Kiangsi, Kuangsi, and Kweichow, and, generally speaking, in the Yuan valley to the west. He also gave instances bearing witness to the strictness of the repressive measures against opium. The retail dealers have now been forced into an illicit traffic with smokers well known to them, and a great deal of smoking goes on in the strictest

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