Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 8, 1908

File No. 774/190–193.

Chargé Fletcher to the Secretary of State.

American Legation,
Peking, March 25, 1908.

No. 878.]

Sir: In continuation of my Nos. 795¹ of December 14, 1907, and 820 of January 22, 1908,² on the subject of the joint opium commission, I have the honor to inclose copies of notes exchanged with the Wai-wu Pu in an endeavor to comply with the department’s instruction No. 354 of October 14, 1907.³ As appears from the last note received, Mr. Liu Yu-lin, who, as heretofore reported, has been charged with this matter, may be expected in Peking during the first 10 days of April. The legation will then endeavor to secure a satisfactory reply from the Chinese Government.

In this connection, I inclose translation of a very interesting and important memorial and edict recently issued, in which the proper boards are ordered to draw up regulations and to take effective measures to reduce the production and consumption of opium, in accordance with the Anglo-Chinese agreement reported in my No. 845 of February 14 last. As the memorial states this agreement in more detail than previously reported, I quote its provisions:

1. The entire export of opium from India to any country whatsoever is limited to 51,000 chests annually and, beginning with 1908, this amount shall be reduced annually by 5,100 chests, so that at the end of 10 years the entire export shall be terminated.

2. China shall dispatch officials to Calcutta to keep watch over the packing and export of opium, but who shall meddle with no other matters.

3. The duty on foreign opium shall be doubled; but further consideration shall be given to the subject before the tax on native opium is increased.

4. Opium prepared in Hongkong shall not be exported to China. Each nation shall take measures to prevent the smuggling of opium into its own territory, and the importation of prepared opium into China from Hongkong and vice versa shall be publicly prohibited.

5. The sale and smoking of opium in the foreign concessions of China are to be stopped. If the Chinese authorities begin to put these rules into operation without the concessions, then the municipal councils shall without further notification put them into effect within the concessions.

6. The restriction of the importation of morphia and hypodermic needles must wait until all the treaty powers consent thereto.

The memorial and edict show that the Chinese Government, while appreciating the difficulties, realizes its opportunity, and is making a serious effort to effect this great reform.

I have, etc.,

Henry P. Fletcher.

[Inclosure 1.]

Chargé Fletcher to the Prince of Ch’ing.

American Legation,
Peking, March 7, 1908.

Your Highness: On December 13, 1907, in a reply to my note asking whether or not the Chinese Government desired to name a date and place for the meeting of the proposed opium commission, your highness informed me that Mr. Liu Yü-lin had been appointed to deal with the matter, and the question of date and place of meeting would be referred to him upon his return to Peking.

I am now informed that Mr. Liu recently obtained 100 days’ leave of absence on account of the death of his father, and, as this question is one in which my Government is very deeply interested, I feel it my duty to inquire whether it might not be possible for your highness’s Government to suggest a time and place for the meeting of the proposed opium commission without waiting until Mr. Liu arrives in Peking.

Trusting that I may receive a favorable reply at an early date, I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your highness the assurance of my highest consideration.

Henry P. Fletcher.

[Inclosure 2.—Translation.]

The Foreign Office to Chargé Fletcher.

Foreign Office,
Peking, March 24, 1908.

Your Excellency: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of March 7, 1908, stating that you had been informed that Mr. Liu Yü-lin had recently been given 100 days’ leave of absence on account of the death of his father, and would consequently not come at once to Peking in connection with the opium question. You felt it your duty, therefore, inasmuch as the question is one in which your Government is very deeply interested, to inquire whether it might not be possible for the Chinese Government to suggest a time and place for the meeting of the proposed opium commission without awaiting the arrival of Mr. Liu in Peking.

In reply we have the honor to state that upon receipt of your note a telegram was immediately dispatched to the viceroy at Canton instructing him to direct Liu Yü-lin to hasten to Peking as soon as his 100 days of mourning should be finished, and a reply was subsequently received from the viceroy saying that Mr. Liu would leave for Peking in the first part of the third moon (April 1 to 10).

Inasmuch, therefore, as Mr. Liu will arrive in the capital before many days, it seems that this matter in connection with the opium question should be allowed to rest until he comes, when it will be possible to consult with him personally.

In the meantime it becomes our duty to send this reply for your information, and in doing so we avail ourselves of the opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurance of our highest consideration.

• Prince of Ch’ing,
• Ma-t’ung,
• Yuan Shih-k’ai,
• Lien-fang,
• Liang Tun-yen.

[Subinclosure 3.—Translation.]

Imperial edict of March 28, 1908—Opium.

We have received a memorial from the board of foreign affairs with regard to measures for the suppression of the opium evil, negotiations with other powers in this connection, and plans to provide for revenues to take the place of those supplied by the tax on the drug in question.

Since the use of opium has become so prevalent, a poison of cruelest power and virulence has circulated among the people, and those who have become infected by it have exhausted their wealth and shortened their lives. Once the habit is acquired the user of opium becomes listless and lazy, he is no longer responsible, and his livelihood is soon taken away. No one knows the number of suicides committed by means of opium in the Provinces each year, and robbery and crime increase with the use of the drug. It is, indeed, a grievous thing thus to abuse nature, the creator of life.

If the sons of ancient China are becoming weaker day by day and their strength of character is diminishing, what hope is there for the awaking of our country?

All classes of Chinese people—officials, gentry, literati, and others—now know that this reform is necessary, and they are assisting each other in the formation of societies to encourage people to give up opium. Slaves to the habit are sick in mind and heart, hating and reviling themselves on account of it.

Many benevolent foreigners of various nationalities have established societies to encourage the suppression of the culture and sale of opium. They have also founded numerous dispensaries. These people all declare that it will be a cause of the greatest regret if China does not crush out the opium evil. But how are the victims to rid themselves of the evil and root out every vestige of the habit from their systems?

Regulations for the suppression of opium have already been promulgated by imperial edict, and according to which both foreign and native opium are to be excluded in 10 years’ time. Now, moreover, Great Britain has agreed to diminish each year the amount of opium she will ship to China, and various other friendly countries have signified their willingness to assist us in this movement, all of which is most gratifying. England has already put her restrictive measures into force, and it has been mutually agreed between us that the plan shall be operated experimentally for three years and if it is ascertained at the end of that time that the cultivation and use of opium in China are really being reduced, restrictive measures will be pushed further. If, then, we do not suppress and investigate this evil at regular intervals, the three years will be passed before we shall have taken in the situation, and then how shall we be able to reply to the benevolent sentiments expressed by friendly governments? How shall we be able to calm the troubled hearts of our foreign benefactors? This opportunity once lost win not return. If we are to be forever bound by this curse then it must be that there is no hope for us as a nation. When we, our princes, and our ministers, think on this, can we help being ashamed and terrified at the sickness we feel in our hearts?

Let the boards of home affairs and of finance immediately devise regulations for the investigation of this matter and let strict rules be adopted, requiring proof that the regulations are being carried out. Let the said boards then seek permission of the Throne for the promulgation of the regulations.

At the same time the various viceroys and governors are charged to direct their subordinates carefully to carry out the plan laid down in the memorial presented by the government council. They are charged also thoroughly to investigate the state of affairs in their respective Provinces and to report to the Throne the actual steps being taken to reduce the production and consumption of opium. Let them report the amount of the reduction made each year at the close thereof.

As to the revenues which shall take the place of those now received from opium, the board of finance is hereby directed to devise a plan whereby this loss may be made good.

This is a matter which affects the strength of the nation and the lives of our people. Metropolitan and provincial officials are therefore directed to use earnest efforts to devise means and to carry them out. No matter how difficult it may be the evil must be suppressed within the time allowed. Let there be no dilatoriness in connection with this matter on pain of severe punishment. Let the plan be carried out as proposed by the memorialists.

Respect this.

[Inclosure 3.]

Memorial submitted by the board of foreign affairs, March 22, 1908.

The board of foreign affairs reverently submits to the Throne this memorial outlining the method devised by the said board and foreign nations to suppress the opium evil.

On November 21, 1906, this board received from the grand council the copy of a memorial submitted by the government council. This memorial elaborated a scheme for the suppression of the opium evil and received imperial sanction. In the tenth clause was the statement that the importation of opium from abroad was an international question, and it devolved upon the board of foreign affairs to arrange some modus operandi with the British minister whereby the consumption of both foreign and domestic opium might gradually be reduced in the same proportion. The memorial went on as follows:

“In addition to the Indian opium there is the product from Persia, Annam, and the Dutch possessions, which is also of considerable quantity. In the case of treaty powers agreements may be arrived at with their ministers whereby joint action may be taken looking to the suppression of the use of opium, and in the case of countries with which China has no treaties she is at liberty to act on her own initiative in forbidding the importation of their opium. The Tartar generals, viceroys, and governors also must be ordered to have all customs officials keep the strictest watch on the frontiers to prevent smuggling of opium, morphia, and hypodermic needles, which latter manner of taking opium is the more harmful by far. The customs officials everywhere, therefore, should be instructed to comply with the eleventh article of the supplementary commercial treaty with Great Britain and with the sixteenth article of the commercial treaty with the United States, in absolutely forbidding the entry of all morphia not imported for medicinal purposes. The manufacture of morphia and hypodermic needles, either by Chinese or foreigners in China, should be absolutely prohibited. In this way may this evil be coped with.”

At that time this board devised a set of suggestions for suppressing the use of opium. One was that the importation of foreign opium be so restricted each year, beginning with 1907, that after five years the importations would be reduced by one-half and entirely terminated at the end of 10 years. It was suggested also that as Calcutta was the place of largest export of opium, China should send officials to keep watch of the number of chests shipped each year. Domestic opium is now taxed as high as 115 taels per picul, while foreign opium, though of twice the strength, is subject to taxes amounting to only 110 taels per picul. The rate on foreign opium should be doubled. Such a course would not only bring in more revenue, but would also diminish the amount of opium imported.

Hongkong is the principal place where opium is prepared for consumption, and the aid of the governor of Hongkong should accordingly be sought in preventing the entry of prepared opium into Chinese territory. The opium shops in the concessions would be closed up and preventive measures taken after the example of the local officials.

Appropriate measures against morphia and the needle are clearly enumerated in the British-Chinese and the American-Chinese commercial treaties. The treaty powers must yield their assent, for only then can these measures be put into effect.

The ideas detailed above were written out and discussed with the British minister, who was requested at the same time to transmit the same to the British Government. After considerable negotiation, last year, the following was agreed upon:

(1) The entire export of opium from India to any country whatsoever is limited to 51,000 chests, and beginning with 1908 this amount shall be reduced annually by 5,100 chests, so that at the end of 10 years the entire export shall be terminated.

(2) China shall dispatch officials to Calcutta to keep watch over the packing and the export of opium, but who shall meddle with no other matters.

(3) The duty on foreign opium shall be doubled; but further consideration shall be given to the subject before the tax on native opium is increased.

(4) Opium prepared in Hongkong shall not be exported to China. Each nation shall take measures to prevent the smuggling of opium into its own territory, and the importation of prepared opium into China from Hongkong, and vice versa, shall be publicly prohibited.

(5) The sale and smoking of opium in the foreign concessions in China are to be stopped. If the Chinese authorities begin to put these rules into operation without the concessions, then the municipal councils shall without further notification put them into effect inside the concessions.

(6) The restriction of the importation of morphia and hypodermic needles must wait until all the treaty powers consent thereto.

The British Government has already assented to the last clause above, a note to that effect from the British minister to the officials of this board being on record.

But foreign opium is also imported from Annam and the Dutch possessions, so this board has asked the French and Dutch ministers to assist in the suppression of the opium habit. It appears, also, that opium is imported from Macao, where it is also prepared in some quantities, so this board has communicated with the Portuguese minister to the same end. All this is on record.

Persia has no treaties with China and the opium from that country can accordingly be excluded by China with no further thought.

This board has already instructed the revenue council to order the inspector general of customs to devise means of putting all this into effect. The restriction of the free importation of morphia and hypodermic needles was the subject of correspondence between this board and the foreign nations in the third moon of the 32d year of Kwang Hsu (March 25–April 24, 1906) and we received assenting answers from most of the ministers. No reply has as yet been received from Japan, but considering the laudable end China has in view it is unlikely that Japan will refuse her aid. The above is the method devised by this board in conjunction with foreign nations to supress the use of opium.

The restriction of the use of opium is a commendable object and must of necessity enlist the cooperation of other nations. India is a place from which opium is exported, yet when this board communicated through the British minister with the Government of Great Britain it received from that Government its whole-souled cooperation in the project, consenting to gradually reduce year by year the amount of opium exported from India, beginning with the first month of the year 1908. The cordiality of the relations existing between the two nations is evidenced by the aid thus extended to China by Great Britain in the matter of opium suppression. England has promised that if China decreases the production and consumption of opium in her own territory during the next three years the reduction of the export from India to China will be continued. The decrease in the amount of native opium produced is a matter in which China must act independently. Careful consideration must be given to the closing of opium shops and the stopping of the sale of opium-smoking utensils. Only by decreasing the number of opium smokers can we look foreigners in the face.

The month of January, 1908 (twelfth moon Kwang Hsu,”thirty-third year), was the date from which the importation of Indian opium into China began to diminish. The three years will pass in the turning of an eye and then it will be clearly demonstrated whether China can come up to England’s demands or not. The opportunity must not be lost, nor must the matter be delayed. The ministers of this board unanimously request the Throne to issue commands to the board of home affairs and the board of finance to jointly draw up laws for all the Provinces and transmit them to the provincial viceroys and governors for observance and promulgation to the prefectures, subprefectures, departments, and districts, with the sternest warnings regarding procrastination, belittling the importance of the matter, and vapid talk. For thus may we hope to eliminate this great evil, elevate our countrymen, and prove ourselves worthy of the benevolent intentions of other nations toward us.

We, the ministers of this board, reverently submit to Their Majesties, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, this account of our negotiations with foreign powers regarding the suppression of the use of opium.

[Inclosure 4.]

Memorial submitted by the board of foreign affairs March 22, 1908.

The imperial maritime customs levy an import duty on opium imported from abroad, and this opium also pays likin. The sums thus realized amount yearly to over 6,000,000 taels. The domestic opium, in the days before the single payment scheme was inaugurated used to yield to the customs in good years 1,200,000 taels, making a total of over 7,000,000 taels. This revenue has been pledged as security for foreign loans.

Now a policy leading to the gradual suppression of the use of opium has been definitely inaugurated and thus this source of revenue will inevitably suffer the same gradual diminution. But inasmuch as the revenues in question are pledged for the repayment of obligations, preparations must be made in advance to obviate the embarrassment caused by their stoppage.

In order to replace this yearly revenue of say 8,000,000 taels, which will gradually diminish until its total cessation in 10 years, it will be necessary to devise a new source of income which will increase in like proportion, that is, at the rate of 80,000 taels per annum. Thus at the end of 10 years the loss due to the stoppage of the opium revenue will be made good. This board accordingly requests the Throne to order the board of finance to devise means of raising the above sum, in addition to the ordinary revenue.

1. See Foreign Relations, 1907, p. 172.
2. Not printed.
3. See Foreign Relations, 1907, p. 169.