The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-01-08
CHINA'S OPIUM FARMER.
HAS SOLE CONTROL OF ALL THE
DOPE AT HONG KONG.

--lhe zig Dinner W TN w men ne lst-
tires From Omcc.
In the colony of Hong Kong there is
Chinaman who, while his brief
reign lasts, is spoken of 10y the quarter
of a million of his fellow countrymen
on the island with blted breath, says
the Chicago Timcs-Herald TO these
Celestials, subjects of Queen Victoria,
the Emperor of China is not nearly so
great Il man as the opium farmer"
and the Queen herself. compared with
Ibis mightness of the drug" is in
their eyes only n PARKWAY sovereign,
not half so imposing.
In order to regulate to some extent
the Importation of opium into Hong
Kong and to simplify the collection of
duties the British Government several
years ago decided to place the whole
business in the hands of one man.
Realizing, however, the tremendous
and arbitrary power that could be
welded by Il single individual in such
n position, 1T was also decided that
the Office should only be held one year,
and that no person should he allowed
to keep 1t for more than n single term.
SO it was announced that the Govern
ment was prepared TO accept bids for
the privilege.
Since that time the selection Of an
"opium farmer" as he is called. has
become an annual event. The highest
bid generally ranges from 100000 to
100000 tIels, according to the pros
poets of tae poppy crop for the year
and the condition of the market. The
successful applicant is duly gaZetted
in his position, and he is given the as
sistance of a fleet of dozen swift
Government customs vessels to pro-
tect his interests. He himself en-
ploys several junks to guard his bust
ness against smugglers, but he must
only use these boats FOR the purpose
of obtaining information. If he secures
knowledge of smuggling operations he
turns it over to the authorities. who
run the malefactors down Nearly
every week in the year there is a
smart skirmish between the sampans
of the smugglers from the mainland
of China, and the revenue cutters
Pretty little battles some of them are
too, and very useful in giving young
British middies and Junior naval Off.
GERS their first taste of sea lighting.
The opium farmer has the sole con
troll of every pound Of the drug brought
into Hong Kong, ana he generally
makes from S25O,O 900 to 100000 clear
profit in his year of Office. The Gov
eminent gets much more from him
than it could secure if it attempted to
collect the sum without the enormous
amount of trouble and the large force
/ of officers that would otherwise he
necessary. The opium farmers sal
aried men watch all incoming boats,
and as it is case of Chinaman
against Chuaman very little of the
raw material gets past him.
At the end of his term Of office he
gives a great dinner TO Government
officials, newspaper men and the lead
ing Chinese merchants of the colony.
/ This dinner is one of the three great
events of the Hong Kong year The
other two are the polo championship
games and the sham battle between
the troops I'm the garrison. As a mat
ter of fact, though natural pride keeps
them from openly acknowledging it.
the white people OF Hong Kong look
on this unique dinner as 10y far the
most interesting affair i'm the social
calendar
When Chinaman makes up his
mind to do thing handsomely he
generally goes to the limit The opium
farmer always makes his dinner.
which is sort of farewell to- his brief
reign of Czar of the opium smokers.
something to be remembered by his
white friends. Indeed. ne LAYS aside
q large sum Of money. from $4,000 to
$4,000, for the banquet, and always
reckons it as a legitimate item Of ex.
pense when he figures up his bid to
the Government at the beginning OF
the year
A week before the close of his term
of Office the farmer sends out his ina.
viIatious. These are always verbal.
delivered to- the lucky recipient boy %
shron, polite native clerk. who comes
TO your door with % smile ana "a bow.
clad in q long blue gown reaching 10
his heels and tells you that his mas.
fer desires the honor of your presence
0t the Wong Tai 10 Restaurant "to
modestly sup with him from q little
dish or two i'm token of your GOOD
will"
Tho invitation needs no response.
The shron takes &c for granted that
you would postpone u trip 90 Europe
TO get TO That dinner. and hc is right.
There are mo- vacant seats when tho
ceremonies begin
The Wong Tai 10 Restaurant. where
OH these affairs are given. ls tbe chi
nosc belmonico's OF Hong Kong 70
stands iu .hc heart of tuc native quar-
ter % Gvc-s.ory frame building elab.
oraioly carved With broad balconies
laden with lowering plants aud creep.
crs and Cine usual huge feast lanterns
swaying in the wind
You arc met at the ground floor ON.
trance of tho restaurant by one of the
farmers representatives clad m gorge.
ous silks. who gives your chair or
rickshow coolies directions about tho
time for their return and shows you
upstairs to- thc great dining room on
Che third floor The tables which run
in three parallel lines down .hc length
of thc apartment. arc bare OF every.
thing except tho usual siNcrwarc. with
ivory ch0psIicks added Thc bie cy
pansc OFF white cloth has % peculiarly
hospitoblc ard rrstaurautko appcer.