Use of opium and traffic therein : Message from the President of the United States, transmitting the report of the committee appointed by the Philippine Commission to investigate the use of opium and the traffic therein, and the rules, ordinances, and laws regulating such use and traffic in Japan, Formosa, Shanghai, Hongkong, Saigon, Singapore, Burma, Java, and the Philippine Islands, and inclosing a letter from the Secretary of War.

  • United States. Philippine Commission (1899-1900). Opium Investigation Committee.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Use of opium and traffic therein : Message from the President of the United States, transmitting the report of the committee appointed by the Philippine Commission to investigate the use of opium and the traffic therein, and the rules, ordinances, and laws regulating such use and traffic in Japan, Formosa, Shanghai, Hongkong, Saigon, Singapore, Burma, Java, and the Philippine Islands, and inclosing a letter from the Secretary of War. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    These tables show unmistakably that the opium inspection is still very imperfect and that means a considerable financial loss to the Government and the existence of many evils, and calls for greater care and activity in the work 911 our part. The licensed opium business men. (1) At the end of the current term there are 3,257 persons engaged in the opium business, which means a decrease by 235 persons as compared with the last terra. The cause for this fact is that a very strict sifting in giving licenses has been ina/ie this year. But even this number is too great in comparison with that of the eaters so there is need for a stricter restriction in license giving in the next term. A com- parison Avith the last term in the merchants’ opium business is given as follows: LICENSED OPIUM BUSINESS MEN. Classification. Taihoku. Taichu. Tainan. Gilong. Taito. Hoko. TotaL Number of opium business men at the end of March, 1900: Opium paste sellers Utensil makers 1,045 858 3 10 45 1,171 5 11 150 1 37 59 33 3,203 8 36 241 4 Utensil sellers 14 27 3 1 Eating houses Wholesale men of opium powder.. Total Number of opium business men at the end of September, 1900: Opium paste sellers Utensil makers 15 4 1,089 916 • 1,338 38 74 37 3,492 1,058 732 3 10 34 1,064 5 11 148 1 37 31 56 2,978 8 37 230 4 Utensil sellers is 31 3 1 Eating houses Wholesale men of opium powder.. Total Increase or decrease: Opium paste sellers Utensil makers 3 14 1,107 779 1,229 1 38 34 70 3,'257 13 a 126 ! mo71 n28 23 0 226 Utensil sellers 1 4 1 nil Eating houses Wholesale men of opium powder.. nil a2 OI2 10 Total 18 nl37 mo9 n40 33 0-235 a Denotes decrease. (2) Fluctuations in the price of the paste sold by the opium merchants in the vari- ous prefectures and provinces are inevitable, but any exorbitant prices always encourage secret manufacturing and sale and smuggling, and it is highly desirable that such merchants should be properly controlled by careful inspections and con- stant statistical examinatiotis. As a matter of fact, however, the amounts of monthly sales are inconstant, which certainly indicates an imperfect superintendence. PROFITS OF OPIUM BUSINESS MEN. [In yen.] Taihoku. Taichu. Tainan. Month. Profit per pound for first- cla.ss paste. Profit per pound for sec- ond- cla.ss paste. Profit per pound for third- class piuste. Profit per pound for first- claas paste. Profit per pound for sec- ond- class pa.ste. Profit per pound for third- class paste. Profit per pound for first- class paste. Profit per pound for sec- ond- elass paste. Profit per pound for third- class paste. S April May 2.440 0.969 0.936 0.452 0.452 1.028 0.140 0.929 0.928 .998 1.202 .931 .681 .681 .827 .286 .633 June 1.242 .976 .764 3.706 .960 .822 1.260 .928 .952 .,880 .979 1.084 July 1.048 1.225 .849 1.371 2.065 1.178 .473 ..860 August .9.58 .810 .762 .767 1.114 .733 1.702 .836 September 1.0-15 .621 .m .870 1.496 1.064 .743 .520 Average 1.289 .969 .847 1.308 1.230 .939 .767 .768 .947 Average in the latter half of 1900 1.473 .887 1.6,50 .810 1.039 1.142 1.145 .977 .979