File No. 774/83–90.
Minister Rockhill to the Secretary of State.
Peking,May 17, 1907.
Sir: In continuation of my dispatch, No. 559, of March 15, in reference to the anti-opium movement in China, and particularly to the measures being adopted by the Government to carry out the opium edict of September 20, 1906.
Within the last three weeks there has been issued by the Emperor a court order to all officials impressing upon them the imperative necessity of exerting themselves to the utmost to carry out the imperial commands, which we learn from various sources have only been heeded in a few isolated sections of the country, in this province and in the Two Kuang provinces particularly, where an active anti-opium campaign is being conducted by the high provincial authorities.
My personal opinion of the outcome of the present attempts at reform of the opium traffic is that a Régie will ultimately be established, a measure which is proving useful and profitable in Formosa, Java, and other countries.
I have, etc.,