CO129-471 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 499

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note addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the subject of the request of the Chinese Government that Kiangsi might be placed on the list of provinces into which Indian opium shall not be conveyed.

The reports from His Majesty's consul do not present a severe indictment against Kiangsi, but contain, nevertheless, sufficient evidence to maintain that the province has not effectively suppressed the cultivation and importation of native opium, as required by article 3 of the 1911 agreement.

I have, therefore, declined to place Kiangsi forthwith on the list of provinces into which Indian opium shall not be conveyed, but have expressed my readiness, in accordance with article 4 of the 1911 agreement, to arrange for the investigation next spring on the lines of the joint inspections carried out in Shantung, Anhui and Hunan this year.

I have, &c.

B. ALSTON.

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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 Yuanchow prefecture is supplied from there. He also states that opium is openly sold on all the roads.

I have. &c.

H. KING.

Sir,

Enclosure 1 in No. 8.

Consul King to Mr. Alston.

Kiukiang, September 18, 1913, WITH reference to your despatch of the 24th July. 1913, and your telegram of yesterday's date, I have the honour to report that, on my arrival here recently, I immediately took steps to endeavour to ascertain what was being done in Kiangsi province with regard to the effective suppression of the cultivation and import of native opium.

Cultivation. With regard to cultivation, it would seem that, on the whole, a favourable report can be made. In this connection, however, it must be borne in mind that Kiangsi has never been one of the provinces in which opium has been cultivated to any great extent.

Mr. Lewis, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company (Limited), who travelled through the districts to the east and south of the Poyang Lake, namely, Jacchow-fu, Kingtehchen. Lopinghsien. Lyanghsien, Kweikihsien, Kwangsin-fu, Kian-fu, Fuchow-fu, and the surrounding country, in March and April of last year and this year, informs me that he observed no signs of poppy cultivation, while I learn from other sources that Kienchanghsien and Changshu are free from opium growing.

On the other hand, the information I have received from Yüanchow-fu is not so satisfactory.

Mr. R. W. Porteous, of the China Inland Mission, writing from Yüanchow-fu, says:-

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:—

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 growers, but, 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

Sir,

Enclosure 2 in No. 8.

Consul King to Mr. Alston,

Kiukiang October 20, 1913. IN continuation of my despatch 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,

CULTIVATION

Jaochow-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.

Kienchang-fu. No opium grown.

Nanchang-fu Juichow-fu.-No opium grown in the neighbourhood. Changshu. No opium grown.

Sinfenghrien.-A missionary who has travelled about in this southern district for more than twenty years says that, during that period, he has seen very little poppy cultivation.

"For some reason the farmers could not make the cultivation of the poppy produce sufficient 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.'

J

Fuchow-fu. In an outlying "hsien called Yihwang a little opium is still clandestinely grown...

Ningtuchow. ---The growing of opium around the "chow" is not yet completely stopped.

Yuanchou-fu.-Opium is still grown. Measures. however, are being taken, with what degree of success I cannot say, to suppress the cultivation.

I have. &c.

[6032]

H. KING.

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