CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 569

7

567

!

In the south, on the other hand, missionary correspondents, reported in March that cultivation was on a greatly increased scale-such being especially the case in the tribal territories which are beyond Chinese control Official efforts at destruction had been feeble and ill-directed with the result that three good crops had been harvested in quick rotation. I have received further reports regarding Southern Szechuan as lately as the beginning of the present month and they continue to speak of the very serious proportions which cultivation has assumed. One letter on the subject contains the following passages :—

"The area under cultivation is increased three hundred fold over that grown under the Manchus. Farmers are now sowing or rather have sown three or four measures of seed this season whereas, usually, only one measure was gown..... value of an ounce of new opium is 2 tael cents. cheaper than it was this time last The present year. The price is low because of the large quantity expected. district without its opium this

There is no suppression methods and the official feeling is one of helplessness. No edicta or The officials seem to have given up their proclamations have been issued for months and the people naturally conclude that they are free to grow as much opium as they wish."

year..

With regard to Western Szechuan a general recrudescence is reported from the prefe ture of Yachow but the area under cultivation is said to be less than in former years and the more extensive poppy fields to be situated in the remoter districts and tribal territories. His Majesty's consul-general at Chengtu, in reporting on this prefecture mentions that mutinous soldiery after looting a local town were seen to have their clothing "literally bulging with opium" in which they had apparently invested the proceeds of their foray. In view of the mountainous nature of the country, it was thought that instructions issued for the renewal of repressive measures were unlikely to lead to any marked result.

Reports received from the north of the province state that in two districts large areas of poppy were being grown. Cultivation was carried on without concealment, and flourishing crops were seen in close proximity to the high roads. In one prefecture attempts to destroy the more extensive fields had given rise to disturbances.

In conclusion it may be added that His Majesty's consul-general was, towards the end of April, informed by the Szechuan Department of the Interior that total suppression had been carried out over two-thirds of the province, and that surreptitious cultivation was confined to inaccessible and mountainous spots where it was of insignificant extent. He is not altogether prepared to endorse this statement, and concludes that poppy continues to be grown to a greater extent than is admitted by the officials, and that cultivation is by no means confined to the more isolated districts.

Shensi,

At the end of last year considerable cultivation was reported. No recent informa- tion has been forthcoming.

Shansi.

The province was declared free of cultivation in August 1911, and placed on the list of provinces into which Indian opium should not be conveyed. A relapse took place last year, and the poppy was cultivated in the south and centre. The area sown appears to have been appreciable, and was reported to be one-twentieth of that in earlier years, when the annual production was about 20,000 chests,

Hupeh.

Cultivation was reported in the south-west.

Kiangsi.

At the end of last year cultivation was reported in remote localities; but the amoyut does not appear to have been of any extent, nor is there information of further cultivation.

Chekiang.

A statement furnished by one of the foreign opium importers at Shanghai as to the conditions in February last reported a moderate amount of cultivation in the north-east

and south-east, and very heavy cultivation in the east, not far from the coast; a fair quantity has also been observed in the central districts of the province. A missionary wrote last month that he had seen thousands of mow (1 acre equals 6 mow) planted with in the south-east not far from Wenchow earlier in the season,

poppy

In March last he made a tour through this district, and now testifies to the total destruction of the

crop.

The three Manchurian provinces were placed on the prohibition list in August 1911, and Chibli and Kuangsi were added in February of this year. Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan have recently been examined by consular officers under article 4 of the Opium Agreement of May 1911, and I will deal with them in a separate despatch.

On the whole, it may fairly be said that the Chinese Government have shown signa of earnestness in the suppression of opium cultivation in the provinces this year, and an advance in this direction has been made within the last three months.

While making full allowance for their difficulties, I cannot but point out that a great deal remains to be done before the work of suppression can be considered as complete-notably in the provinces of Yunnan, Kueichow, Kiangsu, Kansu, and Szechuan.

I have, &c.

0

J. N. JORDAN.