Despite the evident sincerity of the Obioa Government in the crusade it hax undertaken, it is evident that the complete suppression of poppy calt and #he.ase of opium in China wi be easy of accom ishment. Nevertheless, considerable progress continues to be made, In a futher report on the subject drawn up by Mr. Maller, Council the British Legation at Pekin, included in dispatches from the British Minister jast published by the Foreign office, it is stated that there has an-doubtedly been s very sensible diminution of the movement three years ago, Moreover, a pablic opinion has been formed which will greatly strengthen measures which they contemplate taking in the near future. Total prohibition wi bio a measurable time is undoubtedly the policy which finds favour at the moment, and considering the conditions country and the difficalty in the progress of gradual perhaps the best method ith the problem. That the end, however, is #0 near as many of the official pronouncements would seem to 14, very dobiful. patch Sir J. Jordan This report shows that con-iderable progress cantiones to be made the task which the Chinese Government undertook three years ago. There has undoubtedly been a very sensible dimication in the consumption and fealtivation of opium, aod a public opinion has beea formed which will greatly strengthen the hoods of ment and the provi in the drastic contemplate taking in the near fature. Total prohibition within measurable time is undoubtedly the icy which finds favour at the rooment, and, considering the conditions of the country and the diffi-nity in verifying the progress of gradual reduction, perhaps the best method of the dealing with the problem. That the end, near as many of the nouncements would seem to indicate is, venture to think, very doubtful.
We have full and reliable information about only two of the provinces—Shansi and Yoonan—and the annexes to Mr. Max Miiller's report faraish eloquent testimony of the good work that has been done io both, At the opposite extreme stand Shensi, Kansab, Hapeb, and Szechuan, in all of which ely little has been accompeither the consumption of the drag. The last-which is by far the area io the Empire, famish the supreme fist of the saccoss of failure of the programme of and as the order has gone forth that no poppy is to be sown this antumo, the issue on which 20. much depends is doubtless being fought. oat ax this report is being written.
Mr. Maller. who deals with the position la each province, gives come interesting information in regard to the progress wade in Peking. For this be is indebted to Dr Gray, the physician of the British Legation, who is also in charge of s hospital' where large numbers of Chinese addicted to the drag are treated.
About eight-tenths of the officials and three-tenths of the people have stopped smoking. The former, how being subject periodical examination, often stop for a short time, aod then relapse into their old ways. Among the officers of the army the habit has been entirely abandoned. It is now very difficult to purchase opiam in Peking illicitly. The shops are licensed, and the purchaser must be provided with a license. The cence ticket costs ten -cents, and is available for three months. After that parcbasable is reduced.
Opium dens are, of course, forbidden, but " considerable number are still open clandestinely-—perbapa about. half' many a8 were open eighteen months ago. From time to time the newspapers mention cases of raids made by the police on such secret dens, the penalty inflicted on the ymvers averaging a fine of $15, or month's imprisonment with bard labour. The price of opiam has increased greatly, in the case of foreign opiam by 50 per cent.: while the price of native opiam, which comes chiefly from Shansi and Kans, has doable, Opiom pipes are difficult to obtain openly, though they can still be bought secretly, Unfortanstely a great deal of opiam now consumed in the form of anti-opiam pills. Alter a large namber of inquiries extending over a period of several months Dr. Gray places the number of habitual anti-opium pill takers at between one-half and three-quarters of the former total of opium smokers, This means that the manner of taking opiam has merely been changed, bat fortunately for a lees baoefal form, that in to say, © man can satisfy hia narcotic craving io a way that does not stopefy him, wap his energies, or cattail hie working hours. When the anti-opiam edicts were issued " large number of smokers who left off opium took to hypodermic injections of morphia. Bat this craze has died down, owing to the great difficalty of procuring the drag or the injection needles. For those who are willing to pay the cost of thie comparatively expensive Inxary it can always be got, bat Dr, Gray considers that ifooe were to compare Peking with other large cities in Burope and America there would be no difficulty in provi that the cumber of morphormaniaes in certain other cities is immeasurably greater.
Tu Manchuria reporte received from the Consal-General at Makden prove that mach has been done in the past year in Manchuris, both io regard to Teduciog the area of cultivation and to diminishing the comber of smokers. At Shantang Sir A. Hosie was able last year to report a considerable in the land devoted to the poppy throughout this province, avd both from the Customs reports and those received from the British Consul at Chioanfu, it is clear that this diminution has oot only been mai tained, bat has been considerably improved upon. The Governor of Kinngen reports that at Sonchow, the capital of the province, the number of shops for the sale of raw opium bad been reduced during 1908 from 1,906 to 555, while the number of smokers showed a decrease of 60 per cent. Other reports, too numerous for detail, give particulars of other provinces, To sam up, I consider that distinct progress has been made daring the period ander review towards the attainment of the objects China set herself in 1908. Progress is certainly most marked in regard to the suppression of altivation in those provinces where it
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.