The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-25
SURPRISING THE OPIUM TRADE

SURPRISING THE OPIUM TRADE.
First hand information about for
eign affairs from an American View
point based on actual observation is
! always as valuable as it is rare.
What our Consul General al Hongk org,
George l.. Anderson. reports to the
State Department in very recent
consular report is, therefore, of moro
than passing interest, especially since
his subject is the suppression Of tho
opium trade In China.
1t appears. according to his report,
that the restriction OF opium exports
from india did not properly restrict
imports into China last year. but that,
really. II stimulated prices in China
to such an extent that these prices
attracted opium from places othor than
those when ordinarily supply China,
and forced upon that country opium
that ordinarily would not have como
to It.
This condition is to be experienced
TO an even greater degree In the near
future. The only remedy for the pres
ent state of things will be prohibit
tion by China OF more opium into It's
ports than is TO be permitted to be
exported thereto from India, AS step
in this direction the Indian Govern
mcnt has announced that for the cur
rent season il viii mark all opium
allowed TO be exported by it to China
under the international agreement ana
give certificates for its Identification.
In the meanwhile the efforts of China
to restrict the trade. combiDed with
the restrictions on exports from India,
have hccn .ignally successful. Com
plete returns for the imports of opium
in China for 1910 nre not set available,
but the figures for Hongkong album
dainty demonstrate what has been ac-
complished. or the total Imports to
China in 1909 and the four years pre-
ccding Hongkong furnished ~ per
cent. ast
The imports and exports or opium
into. and from Hongkong In the past
three years are given below. The i'm
ports from all sources in the opium
trade In 1908 were 6.41l.15s pounds:
in 1902 5.477,s59: in 1910. 100000
The exports to China were 5,5el.o
pounds In 1905 in 1909. 5,O9e,6s4; In
1910. 4.30+.996. The exports to all
other countries were 4S15O6 pounds In
1905: 1925 In 1909. 225.423 in 1910
The total exports were. therefore. g.
o72.Go6 pounds in 1908. 5.516.o6o in
1909. I.56O,4 19 in 1910.
The decrease in the shipments from
Hongkong into China in 1909 Ms com
pared with 1905 was only about per
cent. while the decrease in 1910, as
compared with 1909. was about Is per
cent: thus tho decrease in 1910 as com
pared with 1905 was "a per cent.
Such a successful restriction OF the
trade is bringing the matter of com
plete suppression into the scope OF live
commercial activity In April, 1910.
the viceroy at Canton established, an
opium monopoly or opium farm. and
in connection With 1t imposed an addi-
tional tax of si32 gold per chest. or
52.S cents. per hall. This tax is being
opposed by dealers In the drug al
Hongkong. In tho meantime tho tax
has had very marked effect on the
course of the importations for the year
Existing and proposed legislation have
much affected prices on tho opium
and the first months Of 1911 the mar.
kct was ruled very largely by the
prospects of further Chinese rcstric-
ton.
There seems TO be no question that
the opium trade is responding to the
efforts of Chinese and foreigners to
restrict 1t until 1t shall have com
pletcly disappeared" says Consul-Gen-
,rai Anderson. The course of restric-
ton has great trade interest. Opium
imports into China average about one
tenth of the country's total Imports
OF foreign goods. while tho home pro-
duction is Immense, not only supply
ing much of tho local market, but
also supplying an expectation from
various ports to non producing dis
tricts to the value of about s1.ooO,0OO
the year The percentage OF China's
national revenue from opium would
probably average about 20 per cent. OF
all its income from trade, while the
amount of taxes obtained from inc
opium traffic for provincial and other
like purposes is very large, furnish
ing the chief support of the Govern
mcnt III ma.y places.
distinct decrease in the rcceirts
from the opium duty is reported foi,
the last quarter of 1910 as compared
with the last quarter of 1909 Such a
decrease has . telling effect upon all
| governmental matter as Mell as on