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where the officials were alleged to be encouraging the planting of the poppy; in this communication you added that there appeared to be no difference between the atti- tude of the officials of the Northern and Southern Governments towards this question. that it was evident that China was not at present carrying out her duties under the Opium Treaty, and that you were compelled to enter a further formal protest on the subject.
I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I have again communicated with the authorities of Szechuan and Fukien regarding the matter, directing then to take the most stringent action to enforce prohibition. Meanwhile I have the honour to enclose for your Excellency's information and transmission to your Government copies of extracts from the latest reports regarding opium suppression received from the provinces concerned.
I avail, &c.
(Translation.)
Enclosure 2 in No. 39.
Seal of the Wai-chiao Pu.
Précis of latest Opium Reports from the Provinces.
Kiangsu
OPIUM suppression has been in operation for several years and great progress has been made. In order to guard against any possible recrudescence of cultivation by the ignorant country people after the province had been cleaned at the time of the British delegate's joint inspection, deputies were again appointed in the winter season to proceed to all parts, including the regions bordering on other provinces, to co-operate with the local authorities and the police in carrying out the most com- plete measures of investigation and suppression. Further investigations were made by deputies in the spring, and no secret cultivation was found. For years past no remissness has been shown in this respect. The district officials and the deputies have repeatedly sent in reports regarding their investigations. As regards the illegal traffic in opium the district officials and the local military and police officers have repeatedly been instructed to be zealous in the work of detection and to inflict the severest punishments with a view to getting rid of the poison.
Renewed instructions to the above effect are now being again issued.
Anhui
Numerous copies of proclamations have been printed and distributed amongst the sixty districts for the information of the villages and townships, containing stringent prohibitionary orders, while special deputies have at the same time been despatched to proceed to each district to co-operate with the local authorities in carrying out further searching investigations into the production of opium, so that the poppy may be radically extirpated. According to the reports of these officers subsequently received the districts are now completely clean, and guarantee bonds, which are preserved in the district archives, have been called for from the local headman. A small amount of cultivation was discovered in a few districts, but the local officials and the special delegates assisted by troops immediately destroyed the crops. As regards traffic and consumption there have been no open cases of this discovered. Renewed instructions regarding stringent probibition are sent out from time to time.
Fukien.
Opium prohibition has been carried out most strictly in Fukien province in the past, great progress in this respect having been made and clean reports having been received.
In the easterly districts, however, there have at times occurred cases of secret cultivation by unscrupulous persons. Repeated and stringent orders have been sent to the districts and the opium prohibition officers to co-operate with the military in arranging for soldiers and police to destroy the crops by force from time
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has now
to time. According to recent reports received from the districts the been completely eradicated, the offenders have been handed over to the law courts to
poppy be dealt with the land sown with poppy confiscated, and the severest punishment inflicted. The people have become so thoroughly alarmed that, fearing punishment, they have themselves plucked up the crops; and there is now no opium cultivation whatsoever remaining. The prohibition of the purchase and sale of opium has also been rigidly enforced, In May of this year opium utensils were discovered and seized at Amoy and burned, to the great joy of the Chinese and foreign public, as has already been reported. Renewed instructions are now being issued for the strict enforcement of the prohibitionary measures against opium.
Hunan.
Instructions have been issued to the police for the establishment of an Opium Prohibition Bureau to be in charge of all matters connected with opium investiga- tron, while the district officials have also been charged with the responsibility of seeing to the matter. According to the monthly reports the utmost zeal is being displayed in opium suppression. The cultivated lands of Hunan consist for the most part of water lands which are unsuitable for poppy cultivation. Moreover, the prohibitionary measures being of the strictest kind, cases of poppy cultivation cannot occur, But the matter being one of the greatest importance, renewed instructions will be sent out from time to time to the districts to act with the greatest thoroughness, so that no one will dare to show the least carelessness.
Shensi,
After the joint inspection by the British delegate in the summer of 1917, when the province was declared clean, the poppy had indeed been most radically extirpated. Later on, when the season for poppy planting came round, deputies were sent out to investigate and enforce prohibition within a stated period. This year the time limit has again been shortened for thorough eradication, and instructions have already been issued that the districts must be clean in a month's time. Investigations are to be carried out in three periods. One period to be from the 1st June to the 10th June, within which the local authorities are to be responsible for taking the necessary measures and report the results. If the instructions are not carried out the heaviest punishments will be awarded. Complete eradication is to be attained by the end of June, after which not a stalk will be allowed to appear, in order that the necessary importance may be attached to the matter and opium suppression enforced.
Szechuan.
Though Szechuan is a distant province the greatest attention has been paid to opium suppression of recent years. Governor, even stricter methods have been applied. Repeated telegraphic communi- Since the assumption of office by the Civil cations have been received from the Central Government, and circular instructions have been issued for the warning and information of all. As regards the cultivation of the poppy at places on the road from Tengyueh to Szechuan and other places, strict instructions have been sent to the Szechuan Frontier Commissioner, the com- mandants of the military colonies, the general officer commanding the fourth division and the Chiench'ang Taoyin, to enforce the strictest measures for investigation and prohibition,
Yunnan.
The greatest care has been taken and much money has been expended in enforc- ing opium suppression in Yunnan during the past ten years. was found clean after joint inspection. Later on, for fear lest unscrupulous people In 1917 the province should offend from motives of cupidity, various procedures for strict opium suppres- sion were again brought into force, and their application pressed by special delegates. As regards the traffic, consumption and sale, the offenders are duly punished. Deputies have been sent out again this year to investigate, and report that no cases have been discovered,
Fengtien.
Fengtien province has already for some time past adopted strict measures against opium and delegates have been sent out to make personal investigations in
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