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.

    12/58 (page 8)
    Aljl Princes, Dukes, and other hereditary Noblez, Presidents and Ministers of Boards and Metropolitan Yeméns, Tartar Generals, Governors-General and Governors, Military Lieutenant-Governors, Deputy Lieutenant-Governors, Provincial Commanders- in-chief and Brigade Generals holding substantive appointments are the recipients of the Imperial favour to no small degree, and of exalted rank and standing, No deception or pretence on their part must be permitted in this matter. Any of these who have been in the habit of smoking shall be permitted to memorialize the Throne direct, praying for a limit of time to be fixed for them within which to give it up. During such period they will for the time being not be removed from office, but a substitute will be appointed to- act for them. When they can show that they have given up the habit they will be allowed to resunie office, but it must be clearly understood that no excuse of illness will be entertained as necessitating the further use of the drug beyond the appointed time. All other metropolitan and provincial officials, civil or military, substantive or expectant, of high or low grade, who are addicted to opium, shall be placed under the supervision: of a delegate appointed by their superiors, and be directed to present a true statement. of the facts of their case; and, without consideration as to whether their cravine for opium is heavy or slight, they will be given six months within which to give up the- habit altogether. At the expiry of this period they must apply for an officer to be- appointed to examine them again, and enter into a bond, which will be filed. If they become seriously ill and fail to break off the habit within the stipulated time, they may represent the facts to their superiors, in which case any hereditary title they may possess will be transferred according to the proper rules of succession to another to hold, and, if they are officials, they will be retired with whatever rank they may be holding. If it be discovered that they are holding back the facts and infringing. this rule by means of deception, they must be impeached and degraded, as a warning against any such trifling and deceit. If the superior authorities are lax in examining, they shall be reported to the Throne for the determination of a penalty. | Further, ali teachers and scholars in any schools or colleges, and officers and warrant officers of the army or navy, who are addicted to opium shall be dismissed within three months. Article 10. To enter into negotiations for the prohibition of the import of forcion opium in order to close the sources of supply. - . The prohibition ef the growth of opium and of its consumption is a measure of internal policy which we are justified in taking without further cireumspection. But the question of foreign opium, which is imported from other countries, impinges on our foreign relations, and the Imperial commands should therefore be sought to direct the Board of Foreign Affairs to make a satisfactory arrangement with the British Minister with a view to effecting an annual decrease within the next few years of the import of foreign opium parri passa with the decrease of native opium, so that both may be absolutely prohibited by the expiry of the time limit of ten years. Besides Indian opium, the drug is also imported from Persia, Annam, and the Dutch Indies in no small quantities. In the case of Treaty Powers negotiations should similarly be entered into with their Representatives in Peking to effect the prohibition. of such import; while with non-Treaty Powers we can exercise our own prerogative in strictly forbidding the import. All Tartar Generals, Military Lieutenant-Governors, Governors-General, and Governors should also direct their subordinate authorities and Commissioners of Customs to take preventive measures along the trade routes and frontiers to stop smuggling, As regards morphia and the instruments used for its injection into the skin, the effects of which are even more injurious than those of opium itself, proper effect should be given to the stipulations laid down in Article XI of the British Commercial Treaty, and Article XVI of the American Commercial Treaty, and instructions be issued to all custom-houses to disallow the import of any morphia and instruments into China which are not for medical use; while a strict prohibition must be enforceil against any shops. in China, whether native or foreign, manufacturing morphia or instruments for its injection, Article 11. All Tartar Generals, Governors-Gencral, and Governors of Provinces should direct the civil and military authorities in their jurisdiction to issue Proclamations promulgating these Rules for gencral observance.