Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-16

dealers in different provinces by the excise
department. Last year there were S,I30
licensed shops, generally distributed
throughout the entire empire But it is
number of consumers is only about two in
every thousand of the population.
Revenue From Licenses.
The revenue from licenses is very large
No dealer is permitted to sell more than
three tolaS about one and one-eighth
ounces) to any person; no opium can be
consumed upon the premises of the deal
er. Private smoking clubs and public
opium dens were forbidden in 1891, but the
strict enforcement of the law has been
considered ineXpedient for many reasons,
chief of which is that less opium is con-
sumed when it is smoked in these places
than when it is used privately in the form
of pills, which are more common in India
than elsewhere. Frequent investigation
has demonstrated that opium consumers
are more apt to use 1t to excess when it is
taken in private than when 1t is taken in
company, and there are innumerable regu-
lations for the government of smoking
rooms and clubs and for the restriction
and encouragement of the habit. The
amount consumed in India is about s11,s2O
pounds annually. The amount exported
will average 100000 pounds.
The largest amount, probably more than
half of the whole product goes to Hong
kong where it is distributed throughout
other parts of China. There is line of
vessels owned and managed by an Arme-
MAN dealer which carry nothing but
opium and one of these ships sails for
Hongkong every three weeks. Consider
able quantities are sold at Singapore,
where they are transshipped to Java, Siam
Australia and other countries. small
amount is sent to the French colonies In
China and to Korea, but opium smoking Is
absolutely forbidden in Japan, and, strange
to say, is practlced exclusively IN the
Christian communities.
Onium intended for export is sold at auc-
ton at Calcutta at the beginning of every
month and in order to prevent specula-
ton the number of chests to be sold each
month during the year Is announced in
January Considerable fluctuation in prices
is caused by the demand and the supply on
hand in China. The lowest price on record
was obtained at the June sale IN 1898, Wneh
all that was offered went for 500 rupees per
chest of 40 pounds. while the highest
price ever obtained was 1,45o rupees per
chest The exports of opium vary CON
siderably The maximum, SO, 469 chests
was reached in 1881; the minimum o9'oo-'
in 1896.
The consumption in India during the last
ten years has apparently decreased. rms
is attributed to several reasons, including
increased prices, restrlctlve measures roi
the suppression of the vice, the famine,
changes in the habits of the people ana
smuggling; but it is the conNictlon OF an the
officials concerned in handling opium that
its abuse is very small. They claim that 1t
is used chiefly by Woodworking people ana
enables them to resist fatigue and sustain
nrivation and that the prevailing opinion
that opium consumers are all degraded, de-
nraved and miserable wretches. enfeeDied
in body and mind, is not true. II Is as
serted by the inspectors that the greater
mart of the opium sold in India is used by
moderate people, who take their daily dose
aud are actually benefited rather than m
iured by it, At the same time 1t is admitted
that the drug is abused by many. and that
the habit is usually acquired by people sur
ferjng from painful diseases, who begin by
takine a little for relief and gradually in
crease the dose until they cannot live with
out 1T.
Abuse of Opium Harmful.
In 1895 an unusually active agitation for
the suppression of the trade resulted in the
appointment of parliamentary commission
of which Lord Brassey was chairman. 1t
made a thorough investigation, spending
several months in India, examining more
than seven hundred witnesses, of which 46i
were natives, and its conclusions were
that il is the abuse and not the use OF
opi,lm that is harmful, and that Its use
among the people of India as rule Is
moderate use; that excess is exceptional and
is condemned by public opinion: that the
use of opium in moderation Is not ATTENDED
by Injurious consequences, and that no eX-
tended physical or moral degradation is
caused by the habit
The same problem which has perplexed
the government of India for many years is
now demanding the attention of the United
States officials in Manila, and commission
consisting of Bishop Brent of the Episcopal
Church. Major Carter of the army and one
or two other gentlemen has been in India
for several weeks studying the subject.