New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-06
Opium SMOKING IN France
Habit Seems to Have Permeated
All Glasses of Society.
Paris, April II.

States, at Inc hague, 10 81 Lax
merely a record of good Intentions
because the legal obstacles and vested
interests that prevent the abolition
Of the smuggling bases for raw and
prepared opium at Hong Kong, Cacao
and the Straits cannot be over
come without a second conference at
The Hague and without separate legis-
lation by each Of the powers concerned
Meanwhile, the use Of opium in France
has never before been so prevalent, ana
is steadily increasing. Opium smoking
in the South Of France and It's paneiui
effects on Young naval officers, some OF
whom freouent the clandestine opium
,o,nta at Toulon, Marseilles and Nice Is
already being dealt with by the french
naval authorities. Many OF these re-
sorts are kept by women no longer IN
their prime, but who have IN their DAY
been we'll known professional beauties.
But apart from these, few hos'esses III
literary and artistic circles IN FaIn
offer a pipe Of opium to their guests
with the same easy hospitality as cup
of tea. In a play called Les Sauter-
elles." brought out last December az the
Vaudeville. dealing with the coleman
problem, the custom Of opium smoking
WAS presented on the stage, and the
habit seems now to have penetrated
more or less into all classes or society
The regular "fumeries" Tor smokeries'
number in Paris alone from eighty 10
hundred but this does not prevent =
little quiet smoking or the oi'iio
poppy in many a luxurious nat OF paoh-
eIor's snuggery just to be up to date.
Tho most difficult Of all to discover are
,hosa situated in the fashionable quar-
ters. such as Tassy and Chaiilot' WHICH
are freouented only by "opiumanes oe-
longing TO the higher circles. None OUT
those possessing considerable means Can
cain an entree to these smart salons.
indeed. YOU might enter one TO make
call and take leave without imagining
that several persons lay near YOU COW
cred with rugs and plunged In the oeath-
lilo torpor. Often the owner OF the
Mace is a shady hanger-on OF the
wealthy social life Of fashionable Paris
living nv his or her wits-this notwlth-
standing an ostentatious show OF money
and sometimes parading an imaginary
title.
For instance, certain man OF
soldierly appearance, who was al one
time an officer in the colonies, received
few friends nightly at his rooms aIleF
dinner. He occupied a charming gar
conniere" on the ground floor In nand-
some mansion in Tassy. Here they met
every evening for quiet game OF bridge
mr. baccarat. But they soon vanished,
one by one, to an inner room, hghted
only by stained glass window Win
heavy curtains. The 'fumerie' was sep
arated from the little salon, filled with
knick-knacks and souvenirs OF liie III
Afr,ca nv an invisible door disguised De-
hind heavy tapestries Here. in the alb
solute seclusion and silence requlreu'
these "opiumanes" INDUCED IN the oarH'
black fumes Of the pernlcious drug Wy
the mysterious glimmer OF their little
Iorns until they awoke from the torpor
,orr mr. five hours later and glided away
in turn. like spectres In the early morn
ing when the "chiffonn!ers' go their
rounds.
A baroness OF doubtful pedigree lately
kept a very select opium "smoKery at
her elegant fat not very far from the
Place de rEtoile, TO which salon none
could obtain admittance who were not
shown 10 be safe" guests and Wiling
also to pay a monthly tribute or many
hundreds of francs and expenses as we'll
This woman possessed a shadowy nus
band. who was rarely seen; she was
moreover. nown among the elect by
nickname.
Another very typical "fumerie' in the
quarter OF Notre Dame de Lorette IS
that belonging to an accomplished resi-
dent in the East, an Official now SIN
Young. The mystic rites OF the true
smoker are here performed In the true
Oriental style. Three rooms must De
crossed after the vestibule before the
precincts sacred to the occult manipuia-
tions Of the votaries can be entered, ana
where the dream-in inspiring poison is IN
hailed. The chambers are filled in
Heterogeneous way with quaint, ana
often rare, exotic brio a-brac" collected
during a protracted sojourn in lndo-
China and Japan-Indian fligree work
and Chino-Japanese objects of art. The
smoking saloon itself is perfect imita-
ton of one pertaining 10 the residence
of some oriental in easy circumstances.
Even several Of the reeds. caretuIly
preserved in cases, look old, the ivory
heads with tiny holes colored dark
brown by time and use. 1t is into these
little holes that the smoker deity IN
serts the dimlnutive pellet of opium Win
his needle after cooking few drops Vi
the brown treacle over his small OIL
lamp The mats. the carpets ana rugs
the cushions on which those in the NOR
phetic trance drop their relaxed ana
neryeless heads, are all of true Eastern
make. These slaves To the noxloas
weed. companions Of this agreeable ana
travelled man. belong mostly 10 the cult
ured class-men of letters, poets, one OF
two artists, few "boulevardlers, ana
so on.
Il have smoked regularly since my
travels in the East" this amiable sypa-
rite replied to n question. but with mod
GRAFTON. and do not find that my health
has suffered" Say twenty-five or thirty
ninos Vet his sallow omDleXion rather