2
"The authorities have endeavoured to suppress the cultivation of the poppy in so far as they have been able to discover the same. That does not imply that the entire cultivation is a thing of the past. I've been told that secretly there are still those who cultivate some at least, as some poppies have been seen here not so very long ago. From what I am able to ascertain, I am inclined to question whether every available. means has been used to extinguish cultivation, or not."
Mr. J. Lawson, also of the China Inland Mission, in a letter which has been shown to me, and which is dated the 28th June of this year, says :—
G
The former output used to reach something like 300,000 taels, but this was about the highest figure reached, as the Government took action against the
but, growers, owing to the change, clans that defy the officials have taken up the growth again, and blows have taken place between the troops and people, but the people generally come off on top. The present man in charge is a duffer, and the people do as they like, so that a rich harvest has been gathered in."
Import. The authorities, in the majority of cases, appear to be doing their best to stop the import, sale, and use of the drug, though their efforts have been attended with varying success.
Mr. Charles Wilson, a missionary, of Kienchanghsien, says that there are no public opium dens in that district, but that the most inveterate smokers seem to be able to obtain the drug secretly in some form or another, one method of smuggling opium into the cities being by placing it in the centre of bales of cotton.
Mr. Wilson is convinced that a most strenuous effort has been made by the officials, and that, in a great measure, they have been successful.
In the Yuanchow district, however, as in the case of cultivation, the situation does not seem very satisfactory.
Mr. Porteous says that opium is not imported openly, but is secretly smuggled into the province, though in what quantities it is impossible to ascertain. He doubts whether the officials are doing all they can to stop the opium coming in.
Mr. Lawson observes (the 28th June, 1913), that the wealthy men in Wantsai have large stocks of opium, native and foreign, and that nearly all the Yüanchow prefecture is supplied from there. He also states that opium is openly sold on all the
roads.
(No. 33.) Sir,
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul King to Mr. Alston.
I have, &c.
H. KING.
Kiukiang, October 20, 1913.
IN continuation of my despatch No. 31 of the 18th September, 1913, I have the honour to report further as follows with regard to the cultivation of opium in Kiangsi, and the import of the native drug into the province.
My information has been obtained from members of the China Inland Mission and through native students attending the Burrows Memorial College at Nanchang,
CULTIVATION.
Jaachow-fu. Kwangsin-fu,-Resident missionaries have seen none for many years. and heard of none during the past, say, three years.
This is corroborated by Mr. Lewis, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company (Limited), who has just returned from a tour in that part of the province. Mr. Lewis, who made careful enquiries, was informed that no opium had been grown there this
year.
Kian-fu.--Still some opium grown in the outlying districts to the south-east of the prefecture, but the officials appear to be taking effectual steps to suppress the cultivation.
Kanchew-fu. Nanan-fu. Some opium was planted in the Yütu district, but the officials sent and had it all uprooted and destroyed.
On the whole, the cultivation of the poppy in these two prefectures seems to have been almost completely suppressed,
3
Kienchang-fu. No opium grown.
Changshu.-No opium grown.
Nanchang-fu. Juichou-fu-No opium grown in the neighbourhood.
Sinfenghsien.-A missionary who has travelled about in this southern district for more than twenty years says that, during that period, he has seen very cultivation.
little poppy For some reason the farmers could not make the cultivation of the poppy produce Csufficient to pay. So the officials found it easily suppressed, and I learn from good authority that there has been no poppy cultivated throughout these districts now for about two years."
Fuchow-fu. In an outlying "hsien" called Yihwang a little opium is still clandes tinely grown.
Ningtuchow. The growing of opium around the "chow' is not yet completely Yüanchow-fu.-Opium is still grown. Measures, however, are being taken, with what degree of success I cannot
Bay, to suppress the cultivation.
stopped.
IMPORT,
The import of native opium into the province would appear to be a negligible quantity.
Much opium is smuggled into Kwangsin-fu, Kienchang-fu, Fuchow-fu, and Ning- tuchow from Fukien province, and into Kanchow-fu and Nanan-fu, over the Mei Ling Pass, from Kwangtung province. As this smuggled opium, however, consists entirely
of the Indian drug, it does not come within the scope of this report.
Sir,
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
I have, &c.
H. KING.
Mr. Alston to Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs.
ON the 16th July last I addressed a memorandum to the Wai-chiao Pu, stating
Peking, November 10, 1913. that, on receipt of a report from His Majesty's consul at Kiukiang, I would com- municate again with them on the subject of their request that Kiangsi might be placed on the list of provinces into which Indian opium should not be conveyed.
I am now in receipt of the consul's report, and regret that I do not see my way to consent to place Kiangsi forthwith on the list of provinces into which Indian opium shall not be conveyed, but am ready, in accordance with article 4 of the 1911 agree- ment, to arrange for investigations next spring on the lines of the joint inspections carried out in Shantung, Anhui, and Hunan this year.
I avail,
B. ALSTON.
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