CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 558

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

C.O

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL,

21204

[May 3.]

Roc

Rra 27 JUN

SECTION 2.

No. 1.

[20320]

(No. 159.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 3.)

Peking, April 18, 1913. REFERRING to my despatch No. 96 of the 3rd March and in continuation of No. 157 of the 16th April, I have the honour to furnish the following information of opium cultivation in the provinces of Shantung and Anhui, which are shortly to be subject to a joint investigation by British consular officers and Chinese deputies.

Shantung.-A missionary, writing to His Majesty's consul at Tsinan on the 22nd February, reported that the poppy was being cultivated in every district of the prefecture of I-chow, in the south-west of the province. The total area of the cultiva- tion he estimated at between 35 and 170 acres, sufficient to yield over half of the quantity of the drug consumed in that prefecture.

The "Peking Daily News" of the 16th April reported that the poppy was being cultivated at Tsi-ning, a district in the south-west, where the local self-government society was said to have authorised cultivation.

Anhui.-His Majesty's consul at Wuhu reported on the 22nd March that the local native newspaper had stated that opium cultivation was taking place in the district of Ch'in-tê, in the south of the province. A telegram from the tutu to the magistrate was also published, threatening the latter with punishment unless he put an end to the cultivation. The same newspaper also stated that the poppy was in general cultiva- tion throughout the northern and western parts of the district of Wu-wei, on the north bank of the Yang-tsze. The provention brigade, who ought to have rooted it up, bad been bribed, and the former magistrate had collected taxes on it. The existence of poppy had been denied by the local gentry, who were aware, however, of its cultivation.

The "Peking Daily News" of the 16th April stated that opium cultivation was taking place in the district of Kwo-yang, in the north-west corner of the province.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

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