Information in our possession shows that.an opium combine has been established, the purpose. which is to allow the smuggling of opium upon the payment of a "fee." This combine is stated to have among its members a large number of prominent, as well as "smaller,' Chi military and Solice " officials, civil officials, "drug investigation officers," Municipal and French Concession police, and loafers.
Aside from the "fee" they receive for allowing the landing of the opium, they carry on a form insurance business. which guarantees to bring the opium safely to Shanghai and-see that it is landed safely. Most of the drug, which comes from Yunnan, Fukien, Szechuan, Kueichow and Kuangtung, as well as other places, is rolled in balls of one or two pounds weight each. The insurance is set at $1 per ounce of opium which they land, and the fee differ in various cases, tha generat "average being between 50 cents and $1 per ounce, On January 10 of this year (the combine, we understand, has been operating for the past three or four years) it is stated that an_ official attempted to smuggle 300 boxes of opium into Woosung, but was detected by the agents of the combine} As the official had not previously arranged with thd combine, his opium was seized. A fight was narrowly averted by a high military official and other ives' who came on the scene and acted as mediators. The result was that the officio) paid a high fee to have his opium handed back to him.
The result has been that smuggling is now being carried on on a@ larger scale than ever and it is reported that at Woosung alone, more than 1,000 cases are being landed monthly. Each chest has, on the average, 2,800 ounces of the drug. This at the rate-of $1 per ounce. brings the combine $2,800 on each case. Hence the lowest amount obtained monthly is $2} millions, or nearly $30 millions- annually.
We understand that a large number of politicians have their eyes on the company and are attempting to gain admittance in order, it is said, that they may get hold of the money. and use it for stirring up trouble in China. Their aim, we learn on very good authority, is first to create @ tish bane ey the Yangtze Valley, after which, i then succeed, they will play the same charming game elsewhere.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.