Yachow, June 10.
The first night up the Gorges the steamer may anchor at a very unpretentious-looking Chinese' village. Very soon, from out of no-Where, there glides slowly towards the steamer a spacious Chinese junk. Ostensibly it-has come to sell wine and sweetmeats; in reality it is a travelling opium den, In a short time, Chinese passengers sailors and boys are lying in rows inside this boat enjoying a smoke, The following night two boats glide from nowhere and the smokers again take to the pipe.
As one travels further west, smoking is more openly and freely indulged in. Opium dens are practically unknown in Kiangsi. The officials are very severe and many of their perquisites come from heavy fines inflicted on those who traffic in opium. Opium: is not only scarce but exceedingly expensive. In Chungking, Luchow," Suifu, Kiating, Yachow and all the way along the river between these important towns opium is openly sold and freely smoked, We were anxious to find out from where it came and where'it grew, for, as we journeyed along, we found opium becoming daily cheap-and more plentiful. Inquiries elicited the information that the drug was grown abundantly in the territory occupied by the Szechuan independent Lolos, which is bounded by Suifu on_ the east, Kiating on the north, Yachow on the west and Ningyuen on the south. Immense wealth is daily finding its way into this country and Chinese around the borders. talk about the opium trading Lolos being exceedingly rich. In many f the villages between Kiating and Yachow:—Chinese merchants buy rom the Lolos and. export the j year. If claims are found to be: opium down river. It_is reported authentic, a sum of 200 tiao is paid; that the merchants of Ichang give to the relatives. A man who had' the soldiers $300,000 per month to come from Luchow in Szechuan) sleep with one eye open and the and happened to be living in an inn} other shut. at the time of the looting, was shot! Opium is grown in very large dead by soldiers, to whom he had: quantities along the Tibetan fron-refused to give up his money. Re-! tier and especially among the cently his relatives put in a claim}tribespeople.
It is exported for compensation, which was duly/ through Yunnan and also down the met by the Chamber although such Yangtze. What, this will grow to a long time had passed and the} is somewhat difficult to foretell, for relatives were so far away. {the Chinese are quite unable eae be Aa to withstand or control the Lolos. in Ichang, recently suggested to} the Chamber of Commerce that) a targe number of Japanese they should disband the Merchants' students are expected to visit Volunteer Brigade. But at) China this summer to spend their decided that the Brigade should be! *ldays in investigating conditions Meeting of the Chamber it was!) en investigating condition tin thi try. kept under arms. in this country.
Coprer Coin Istport Forsippex. clamation has been issued forbid-Owing to the province being' ding the importation of copper.—flooded with copper coins, a pro-' Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.