Correspondence respecting the opium question in China.

Date:
[1908]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Correspondence respecting the opium question in China. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    49/58 (page 43)
    Chinese Government already taken steps to prevent this contingency, By Article XI of the Commercial Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, between Great Britain and China His Majesty’s Government undertook to prohibit. the general importation of morphia into China, except for medical purposes, as soon as all other Treaty Powers agreed to this step. ‘The Chinese Government on their side undertook to adopt measures at once to prevent the manufacture of morphia in China, With the exception of Japan, the consent of all the Treaty Powers has now. been obtained, so that China is within measurable distance of seeing morphia eradicated, Art. 7,.The establishment of Anti-Opium Societies in order to promote the good movement. . In the Province of Szechuan the authorities have given little encouragement to such Societies, and have ordered them only to discuss opium and not current politics or questions of local government, | In the rest of China Anti-Opium Societies have been established in many of the capitals, some being under official auspices, others of a private nature, ‘They display a certain amount of energy. Art, 8. ‘To charge the local authorities with the duty of leading the movement. In regard to the Province of Szechuan, with the exceptions of the capital (Chengtu) to. help and encourage the anti-opium movement. The country officials are mostly smokers, their attitude lukewarm, and their action generally limited to the issue of the necessary Proclamations.. As to the rest of China, the officials foremost in energy are those of the cities of, Tien-tsin, Chefoo, Soochow, Shanghae, Nanking, and FoochOW. «08! mon a .. Art, 9. To strictly forbid the smoking of opium in order that an example may be get for others to follow. , | This Article is practically .a dead letter in the. Province of Szechuan. .'The late Viceroy did issue an order to all civil and military officials throughout the province fixing a limit of six months. in which to give'up the habit, opium smokers in the meantime to report themselves to their superior officials in order that their names might be entered-on a black list. No officials. are known to have reported themselves ; on the other hand, several officials, notoriously inveterate smokers, are retained in office. ira In all Government colleges, schools, industrial institutions, the police, and in the army the prohibition is strictly enforced. Generally speaking, in regard to the rest of China, it may- be said that not much progress has been made in the way of obeying this Article. There are instances of officials having given up the habit, and of attempts being made to do so; also instances of officials being dismissed, but they are few and far between, | + The military authorities, however, are very strict about it in the Luchun (national army), and they profess to be equally so in the provincial armies, though it may be doubted whether the same energy is displayed in their case, The penalty for smoking opium in the army is death, but there is no proof of an execution having taken place. This, however, is negative. evidence, as no foreigner is allowed to see a soldier punished. Lieutenant-Colonel Pereira, His Majesty’s Military Attaché, is of opinion. that, whilst officers in the first six divisions of-the national army would not smoke, it is probable that there are cases in the national army in the provinces. In the capital the recent dismissal from office of a number. of high dignitaries and Princes who had failed to break off the habit within the prescribed limit of time shows the continued interest taken in the movement by the Court. . . The. Imperial Maritime Customs issued two Circulars in December. 1906 to those employed in the service, the one bringing the Decree to their notice, the other calling fora report in July 1907 giving the names of such subordinates in. the service as still continue.to use the drug, their age and length of service. The replies to this Circular, taken all round, have shown that smoking is not general among the native staff, and that where formerly indulged in it had in most instances ceased, or was being gradually given Up... . : 10 Bois Shee! ~ It became necessary to dismiss a few whose efficiency had been diminished by the Meeorthe drug. rs 4s on | 4 AEs ed ot 2 [271] A