394
5. Bbantung Chibli...
38.247 900 20,937,000
Hapeh
35,280,685
Kiangai
26,532,125
Anhwei
23,670.314
10. Honan
35,316,800
Hunan
22,169,6:3
Kanau
Sbensi
Shansi
15. Seechwan
Yonnan Kweichow
10.385.376 8,450,182 12,200,456 62,724,890 12 324,574
7,650,282 5,142,330
407,337,305
Dependencies. 8,500,000 2,58 00
Kwang.i
Manoburia
Mongolia
Tibet
6 430.000
Chinese Torke-
stan (Sinkiang) 1,200 000
18,710,000
Grand Total, 426 015.305
33
These figures are accepted as they stand by Marshall Broomball, B.A., Editorial S cretary of the China Inland Mission in "The Chinesa Empire, A General and Missionary Survey (pp. 2 and 42), published in 1907. M Kennelly, 8.J., in bis translation of L. Richard's "Com prehensive Geography of the Chinese Em- pire," published in 1908 (pp. 5 and 8), gives the same figures for dependencies, but pats the population of the eighteen Provinces at 410,000,000. It may, therefore be said that both Protestant and Roman Catholic Missionaries are agreed that the population of the Chinese Empire exceeds 400,000.000. Finally Mr. H. B. Morse, B A., Harvard, Commissioner of Customs and Statistical Secretary to the Inspectorate-General of Customs, China, in bis book The Trade and Administration of the Chinese Empire," published in 19-8 (p. 203). writes: Parker's estimate of 385,000,000 is probably the safest to follow. For China
outside the Wall' the safest estimates are 16,000,000 for Manchuria and 10,000,000 for Mongolia, Tibet, etc.. making with Parker's estimate for China Proper, a total of 411,000,000."
Of course any increase in the estimated pop. ulation will decrease the percentage of opium
smokers and vice versâ
Mr. Morse in the same book (pp. 345-35) estimates the production of native opium in China to be :-
Coast Provinces Yangteza Provinces Island Provinces
Piculs.
42,500
10,500 323,000
$76,000
He adds :-"It cannot be asserted that this figure is measurably exact; but it may be safely assertel that the production of opium in China to-day is at the lowest, six-fold, and is more probably eight fold, the quantity of the present import of foreign opiam." For the weight of foreign opinm imported Mr. Morse gives no statistics more recent than 1905, for which year he gives, on page 342, the following figures : -
Opium reported to Imperial Mari-
time Customs
Opium imported either by junk legitimately, but not reported to the Imperial Maritime Cus- toma, or smuggled
---
Piculs.
51,920
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
5,000
56,920 Mr. Morse does not say what amount of native opium was exported Assuming, there fore, that the whole amount was consumed in Chins, and that the foreign import was in 1907 the same as in 1905, the total consumption of opiam in China was 432,920 picals, which, although considerably higer than Sir J. Jordan's estimate, still falls 326,070 piculs short of the amount necessary to give a rate of 2 per cent, of opium smokers in the Empire, assuming the daily dose to be Tis, 0.2.
APPENDIX B.
The official Chinese census of 1902 gives the population of Ssuob'nan as 68,721.890. This figure is accepted by Mr. Broomhall (p. 225 of his book above quoted): and M. Kennelly (p. 105 of his book above quoted) gives 68,724,800 as
the population. It may, therefore, be said that the missionary bodies accepta considerably higher figure than Sir J. Jordau; and of ooprse, at this figure, the percentage of opium smokers will be be considerably lower than that given by Sir A. Hosie. Mr. Morne (p. 223 of his book above quoted) writes of the population of this province: "The estimates made within the last twenty years have ranged from 35,0-10.000 (Hobson, 1892) to 79.300,000 Popoff, 1894); but the general tendency of investigators has been to put it between 50,000,000 and 65,000,000; Parker (1903) is inclined, however, to doubt all the high estimates; and Hosie (1904). than whom few have studied the province more carefully, puts it at 45,000,000," This last is the figure quoted by Sir J. Jordan and it will be seen that it is a conservative estimate.
|
With regard to the amount of opium con- sumed in the province Mr. Morse (p. 340) saysThe recognised anthority for Szechwan to-day is Mr. A. Hosie. In his consular report for 1903 (presented to both Houses of Iarliament, October 1904, Cd. 2247), |
as the result of a careful detailed calculation, he states that the consumption of Szechwan-grown opium by the inhabitants of Szechwan is 182,500 piculs. If to this be added the probable export eastward from the province, we have a probable production of not less than 250,000 picgls.' It will b Been that Sir J. Jordan has accepted the figure 182,00 picule, as the amount consumed in the province, from Sir A. Hosie.
Mr. Morse (loc. cit ) says "No foreign opium has even been imported "info Ssuch'uan.
SUPREME COURT.
Friday, 12th June.
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (SIR F. PIGGOTT).
QUESTIONED JUDGMENTS. A motion was presented by the Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, KC., for an order to set aside judgments given against the Tung Shing Wo firm in November last on the ground that the defendauts had never existed or had a place of business, nor had any of their partners ever been resident in the Colony of Hongkong; and that the debts in respect of which the actions were brought were inourred, if at all, in the Eta- pire of China, and aot in Hongkong; and that the orders in pursance of which the writs in the actions were served by ways of substituted service were wrongfully obtained.
Mr. Pollock was instructed by Mr. Deacon, (of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Deacon), on be- half of the Tung Shing Wo firm, the defendants in the original action, and Mr. M. W. Slade (instructed by Mr. Crowther Smith, of Messrs. D'Almada and Smith) appeared for the plain tiffs.
At the outset his Lordship raised the point that a motion to set aside must be made with- in a reasonable time, as Boon as possible, otherwise they would be held to acquiesce in the judgment.
Mr. Pollock said the motion was made within six months. They did not know of the judgments until after they were given. Proceeeding, be read an affidavit by
Mr. Deaon, who stated therein that as the result of instructions received by his fim, his agent bad interviewed one of the partuera in the defe dant firm who was then in prison in Newchwang, where he had been imprisoned by the Chinese Government in consequeno of the firm's insolvency. As a result of those interviews a declaration was prepared, which the prisoner was willing to sign, but was prevented by the Customs Taolai and the Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Com.
mero, parporting to be acting on behalf of the Newchwang creditors. The agent for Messrs Deacon, Looker and Deacon said in bis flav.t that from the information he had obtained he believed that the claims of the plaintiffs had origina'ed at Newchwang, and were not claims within the jurisdiction of the Hongkong Court.
His Lordship-You must satisfy me that you have taken steps within a reasonable time.
Mr. Pollock --Quite s», draft of the declaration prepared to si..
(June 22, 1908.
I have a
my Lord.
that this mau was
His Lordship-I osn only look at it by
consent.
Mr. Polloc. This man was interviewed by a barrister, the agent for Messrs. Deacon, Looker and DeacOD. I submit your Lordship should look at it,
Mr. Slade obj oled,
Mr. Pollock --- This is the declaration this man was prepared to sign, but he was prevented from doing so,
His Lordship -I dɔ not so my way to look at
it,
Mr. Pullock said the allegations of the other si le were made on the fact that the defendants had a place of business in Benham Strand, and inside the shop of the Tak Shing firm. He had an onormous body of evidence to combat that. He argued that the statement which was attach- ed to Mr. Descon's second af lavit was admis. sible because it was a statement made to the legal agent of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and It was not a casual statement, but one regularly made.
Dacou.
-
Th Chief Justice: It would introduce far to dangerous a quantity, A man might change his mini at the last moment and say No, that is not the statement I am prepared to sign,"
The further hearing was adjourned until Monday,
Monday, 15th Jane.
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (SIR FRANCIS PIGGOTT).
QUESTIONED
JUDGMENTS.
Hearing of the motion presented by the Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C., for an order to set aside judgments given against the Tung Shing Wo firm in November last was resumed. It will be remembered that the motion was moved on the ground that the defendants had never existed or hid a place of business, nor had any of their partners ever been resident in the Colony of Hongkong; and that the debts in respect of which the actions were brought were incurred, if at all, in the Empire of China, and not in Hongkong; and that the orders in pursuance of which the writs in the actions were served by way of substituted service were wrongfully obtained.
Mr. Pollock was instructed by Mr. Deacon (of Messrs. Deacon Looker and Deacon), on behalf of the Tung Shing Wo firm, the defen. danta in the original action, and Mr. M. W. Slade (instructed by Mr. Crowther Smith, of Messrs. D'Almada and Smith) appeared for the plaintiffs.
His Lordship said-There is one point to which I want to refer. There is no consolida- tion in this, and there is only one motion made in the four actions. It is entirely the fault of the Registrar and I must simply ask him to wake up. It is their business to look after the fanaces and there must be a formal application male for consolidation. Of course it is for convenience of all parties, and I think the proper course to parsus, so far as the revenne is concerned, is that the motion should bear the propen stimps and the affidavite on the other side, if filed by the four plaintiffs, shoull bear the same stamps as before.
Mr. M. Slade-We did our best to get things straight, and we came and asked what we should do. There being four parties we did not know what to do.
His Lordship-The Registrar must wake up. I am not in any way criticising the actions of the solicitors because they are only too ready to fall in with any suggestions made.
Hea. Mr. H. E. Pollock-If your Lordship pleases; that will be done.
Mr. Slade said the Tang Suing Wo firm had carried on business in the colony. They had borrowed mousy, and instead of shipping the goods that were to be sent in payment to their own firm, they shipped them to another outside firm, thus absolutely taking away the security of the plaintiff firm.
Mr. Pollock, in reply, said the plaintiffs were putting forward a different story to what they
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