812
weight of Opium which would make up a hundred chests has been sent over from Tanshan.
You will, therefore, observe that these are sufficient proofs that a monopoly is being established. We are therefore very much afraid that our business will soon have to stop, in which case we shall not be able to fulfil our outstanding contracts with you as we shall not be able to find any outlet for our uncleared bargains of Opium.
(Signed) OPIUM GUILD.
TRANSLATION OF AN OFFICIAL DESPATCH
An Official despacch published in the "Sonth China Journal" of the Viceroy of Liang Kiang re the erection of an Opium Monopoly Office
The Viceroy, H.E. l'usa, sent the following despatch to the Provincial Treasurer at Nan- king and Taotai Saug Ding Ling.
I received the regulations, in connection with the Opium Monopoly, passed by the Bureau of Revenue of Kiang Nan that merchants are to 'be asked to buy the Opium and Officials to superintend same and in reply I ordered the erection of an Opium prohibition office and an Opium tax office in Nauking and to make the Treasurer at Nanking their superintendant.
In the petition of the Burean of Revenue it is mentioned that as the quantity of Opium in the market is 8 heavy and it is difficult for the Officials to have such a large amount of money to buy the Opinm, it seems to be better to give the power of buying to merchants.
The plan is only for the sake of saving money. The prohibition of Opium is ordered by our Emperor and in bis Majesty's decree the time allowed for further smoking is very short. As I fear the buying of Opium by merchants will cause delay, it is mos necessary that Govern- ment departments should be erected to buy and sell the Opium in order to fix and to lessen the quantity of Opium gradually.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
to
of the 6th moon and meetings shall he held at this Bureau for organising the establishment of branches and for framing proper rules. l'hese rales are required to be submitted the higher anthorities for sacction. Persons of small means desirous of obtaining agencies should apply for a copy of the rules between the 5th and 6th of the 7th moo0. Their names shall be registered on proof of their having been in the trade previously. Permits will be furnished them forthwith | without charge. No application will be considered when the limited number of agencies is filled up.
As regards the conversion of Opium divans into official opiam selling ageacias the following unmber inside and outside the city will be allowed, namely 120 agencies inside the city to be situated in four different localities namely East, West, North and South. Each locality to have 3 agencies. Eighty agencies outside the city in four different localities namely E West, North and South each locality to have 2 agencies, Merchants must understand that no private establishment for the sale of Opium is allowed, anyone infringing this proclamation will be punished without leniency.
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corpmation Copy of telegram orwarded through the
to His Majesty's Miu:ster a Peking.
Committee Hongkong Chamber of Com forwarded against Viceroy Nanking proposal merce desire add their protest to those already
establish opium mon poly such step calculated very seriously affct British trade aud contrary Treaty rights,
China Association, Hongkong. 18th Sestember, 1907. The Hon. Mr. F. A HEWETT,
Chairman,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, The Opium Tax Office should be thus abolish. letter from Messrs. Dirid Sassoon & Coy., Ltd, DEAR IR,This Committee has received a ed and be changed into a "Kiang Nan Opium and others interested in the opiam trade on the Monopoly Office." Ι reques the Treasurer of subject of the attempt of the Viceroy of Nan- Nanking to be the superintendant and the expect-king to establish a monopoly for the ssl of opium ant Taotai of Hupeh, Seng Ding Ling, to mau- age the Office affairs. A sum of Tls, 5·0000, will be set aside by the Yue Ning Official Bauk as capital of the Office.
The Head Office is to be first erected in Marking and a branch office shall be erected at Yang Chow, Ching Kiang and other such prosperous places.
At the place where an Official Opium Office is formed the boiling of Opium by the people and private shop is strictly prohibited.
The Tsotai Seng shall arrange with the Treasurer the way in which the buying, boiling and selling of Opium and of prohibiting private boiling and smoking will be done and the re- gulations will be sent to me together will a list of general expenses for my approval. The Official stamps of the Office can be engraved at the Treasurer's discretion and I will band same to the Office when it is presented to me after it is engraved
PROCLAMATION.
Issued by the Officers in charge of the Kiang Nan (Nanking Anti-Opium and Govern-i ment Monopoly Barean.
Whereas in consequence of the great evils of Opium smoking Decrees have been promulgat- ed for the prohibition of the sale of the drag within the period of a certain number of years and whereas tbis Barrau has received instructions from the Viceroy to devise means for securing the overument monoply of the Opium, in obedienos to these instructions we have received the approval of the higher authorities. Now, this proclamation is issued for the information of Opium dealers that in fatore those whe possess sufficient capital to carry on their trade are requested to apply to this Bureau for certificates permitting them to buy native and foreiga Opium and sell it exclusively to this Bureau. Permission for the retail sale of Opiam is to be stopped. Mer- chants not possessing sufficient capital may act as agents for this Bureau. Those who wish to change their trade are at liberty to do so. Public opiam smoking houses must be closed at the end of the sixth moon, the number of branches being limited; those anxious to act as agents should apply at once. They are further required to furnish guarantees from reliable hongs. This scheme will come into operation on the 25th day
|
there.
In it is further stated that recently officials connected with the monopoly bureau have bought opium here and shipped it to Nanking, and ag in that the writers understand bat it is intended that similar tunnopolies are to be started in other provinces of the Empire, such action being in contravention of the Treaty of Nanking, 1842.
This question has been already dealt with by Association, and the Ludon Committee has the Shanghai and Londou Brinches of the forwarded
# m-morandum to the Unler Secretary
which of Foreign Affairs
is so closely identical in its terms with those
instant to the Honourable Colonial Secretary conveyed in your Chamber's despatch of 3rd
good can come from our acting in common i that my Committes are of opinion that only this matter. I have therefore the pleasure to assure you of their readiness to co-o erate with you in the protection of the interests concerned. I am, &c.,
(Sgd.) A. S. D. COUSLAND.
Hou. Secret ry.
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, 20th September, 1907. SIR, I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 18th instant regarding the protest made by the British Opium Firm against the attempt on the part of certain Chinese Officials to establish Monopolies for the sale of prepired opiam in their districts.
The Committes of the Chamber of Commerce are glad to learn that the Hongkong Branch of your Association are prepared to support this claim in the matter, and for your information I now beg to band you copies (in triplicate) of the despatches sent to the Hongkong Govern ment and the British Minister at Peking together with all the enclosures dealing with this question. Up to the time of writing no reply has been received to these letters.
I bave the honour to be, &c., (Sgd.) EDBERT A. H&WETT, Chairman.
Alex. D. CouSLAND,
Hon. Secretary,
[November 11, 1907. Colonial Secretary's Office,
26th September, 19 7. 818,I am directed t› acknowledge. the receipt of your letter of 3rd instant on the subj-ot of the establishment of a monopoly in the pium trade by the Chinese Authorities at Nanking, and to inform you that His Excellency the Governor has forwarded it to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in order that Lord Elgin may be placed in possession of the fact that the action of the Authorities at Nanking is inflicting a serious injury upon Opium Mer. chants in this Colony.
His Excaliency desires me at the same time to point out that the persons who are directly aff oted and upon whom should devolve the task of representing to His Britannic Majesty's Minister at Peking the alleged breach of treaty are the merchants of Nanking and that the merchants of this Colony should endeavour in order to protect their own interest to take steps similar to thos taken by the merchants of Shanghai.
I have the hor our to be, &c.,
(Sgd.) F. H. MAY,
Colonial Secretary.
The Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWE T, Chairman, Hongkong Chamber of Commeres,
British Legation, Peking.
18th September, 1907. FIR, -I beg to acknowledge the receipt of opium monopoly which the Viceroy of Liang your letter of the 3rd instant respecting the
Kiang proposed to establish at Nanking,
Tu reply I have to inform you that on hearing of the proposed establishment of the monopoly, I made both written and verbal representations to the Wai wa pu pointing out to them that pending the negotiation of an understanding on The whole question of opium between the two Government which was inadmissable for the provinces to take upon themselves to devise trads the freedom of which was guaranteed by measures which had the effect of restrioting a
frosty.
instructions were sent to the Viceroy of Nan. As a result of my representations telegraphic ing and a proclamation was issued by the Kiang Nan Opium Monopoly Bureau on the 7th nstant, copy of which has no doubt reached you, suspending the operation of the monopoly. I have reid with especial interest the letter which you aldressed to Ilis Excellency the Governor of Honkong on
the 3rd instant, relative to the monopoly and other points conn-c'ed with the foreign opiam trade with China, and I take this opportunity of thanking you for your courtesy in communicating it
Lo me..
I am,
&c.,
J. N. JORDAN.
The Chairman said the reply from H. B. M'a Minis er at Peking was very satisfactory ` under the circumstances.
CORRESPONDENCE.
A CHESS PROBLEM.
看看
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY P884."]
SIR,-Will you permit me, through the med um of your pipar, to ask the following questi in iu chess to some of your readers who are interested in the game?
This was the position arrived at when the point in dispute arose :-
WHITE.
K. on Q. K, 3 Kt.
Q. B. 3
BLACK,
K. on Q Kt. 3 P.
K. B. 6
છુ. B. 2
P.
Q Kt. 4
P.
11
Q. R.
3
Ku
Q. B. 5
R.
31
Q. 7
R.
K. R. 7
3
Now, can the black king move to Q. Kt. 4? The contention is that the king on move to that square since the whits Kt, is unable to move on account of the check by the black rook.- Yours etc.
CHESSBOARD.
The extract of meteorologioil oʻservations made at tos Observatory during the month of October show th it the average maximam temperatura wa 83.4 and the minimum 75.4 China Association, Hongkong Branch, degrees. The rainfall during the same period was 8.965 inches, and there were 191.2 hours of sunshine.
Hongkong.
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