Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-25

with the outside world. even the supply OF
provisions was cut off, and the foreigners
were held in their factories as strict pris-
oners. They protested and threatened, but
to no purpose. At last they delivered over
to the Chinese authorities every chest OF
opium in the settlement, amounting to ~
2s3 chests. of the estimated value of
SS,OCO,O00. OF this number 1,54O chests
were held by American merchants, but the
consul reported that they were all British
property. The British government at once
began warlike preparation to avenge what
1t alleged to be an insult to its representa-
tive and the destruction of the property Of
it's subjects.
No formal declaration of war was made
and no official explanation of its cause or
purpose was given to the public. A block
AIDE of Canton was established June -.
1910, and hostlities began July 5. After
some indecfslve operations along the coast,
the Notifications which defended Canton
Were destroyed, and that city was ransom
ed from assault by the payment Of $6,O00,-
600. Annoy. Ningpo and Shankhai sue
cessively fell into British hands. Chin
stroyed with horrible slaughter. Marking
was invested and when about to be at
tackled the Chinese sued for peace. 1t Is
singular fact that the treaty of peace
signed August 90. 1912, for some reason
did not refer to the Importation Of opium.
which had been the immediate cause of the
war, but gave the Island of Hongkong to
the British. opened the ports of Canton,
Shanghai, Annoy, Foo-chow and Nipgpo to
British trade and residence, exactei SOL,
COO,OCO as indemnity, of which $8OOO,O00 was
to pay for the opium Destroyed. The Chi
nese plenipotentlaries asked why the Brit
and put stop to a traffic so perncious to
the human racer The British replied that
If they did not sell opium to China the
Chinese would procure the drug from some
other source and recommended that they
legittmatiZe the trade. But the commits
sioners responded that their imperial mas
ter would never listen to such a suggestion.
After the war the smuggling increased
more rapidly than ever, to the physical and
moral injury of the Chinese and to the
great financial profit of the British.
Vain Appeals to England.
The Chinese government has since re-
peatedly urged the British to stop the
opium trade, but the proposition has never
been entertained. When Ii Hung Chang
was in power he wrote letter to an anti
opium association in England saying:
Opium is a subject in the discussion of
which England and China can never meet
on common ground. China views the whole
question from II moral standpoint, England
from d fiscal. England would sustain a
source of revenue in India. while China
contends for the lives and prosperity of her
people,
The opium of India is cultivated manu-
featured and sold under government super
vision. The British authorities sell from
S2,,oOo0Oo to S0,o00,G0o worth to the
Chinese every GEAR. If China refuses to
allow the opium OF India to be imported by
her people il will he a death blow to one
of the most profitable industries in all
the British empire. but in this year of our
Lord nineteen hundred and six it is very
doubtful whether the administration of
Christian nation like England will have the
audaclty to force a narcotic curse upon
heather people. There are societies in
England TO abolish the opium trade; COM
missions have been appointed at intervals
to investigate the subject. and there have
been many movements. public, private. ma
tonal. international, religious and parlia-
mentary. for its suppression. Volumes have
been written setting forth all the moral
questions involved. and it is safe to say
that every fact and argument on both sides
has been presented in one way or another
to the British public: vet it is astonishing
that no official commission other legally
constituted body has ever advocated the
prohibition either of the cultivation of the
poppy or the manufacture of the drug.
Commissions made many. many suggestions
and recommendations for the regulation
and restriction of the traffic and the laws
which now govern 1t are the result of the
experience OF centuries. But anti-op.um
movements have been entirely in the hands
or missionaries, and religious and moral
aeitatnrs, in England and elsewhere out
side OF India.
1t goes without saying that the use
of opium is universally considered one
of the most dangerous and destructive
of vices. and yet il it officially en-
courased by the British government
because nearly $4,000 acres of Brit
ish soil are planted to peoples and a MILLION
and q half Of British subjects are engaged
in their cultivation The annual average
value of the crop is about SG0.00o, 900, and
in 1906 China imported 81 .U94,112 taels'
worth of the crop. tael being valued at
scvcnty-fivc cents in our money.
Mr. Foster SAYS there is better prospect
now than eyer before to reach some agree
f,f fp.f Mr.
John Morley. the famous author q states
man of liberal and humane views, now sec
rotary of state for India in the British cab
met has announced in parliament that
the British government will make finan-
cial sacrifice to assist China in any serious
attempt to restrict the Use of opium.