Opium

AA00001420_00001.mets

AA00001420.pdf

CHINA.
IMPERIAL MARITIME CUSTOMS.
IL-SPECIAL SERIES: No. 10.
OPIUM：
CRUDE AND PBEPAKED.
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF
⑩旅 |nj5|nctov of血诵仙哄轧
SHANGHAI :
PUBLISHED AT TIIE STATISTICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE INSPECTORATE GENERAL OF CUSTOMS,
AND SOLD BY
KELLY & WALSH, LIMITED: SHANGHAI, HONGKONG, YOKOHAMA, AND SINGAPORE.
LONDON : P・ S KING & SON, CANADA BUILDING, KING STREET, WESTMINSTER, S・W・
[Price $0.50.]
188S.




CHINA.
IMPERIAL MARITIME CUSTOMS.
11.-SPECIAL SERIES: No. 10.
OPIUM：
CRUDE AND PREPARED.
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF
The Inspector General of Customs
SHANGHAI:
PUBLISHED AT THE STATISTICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE INSPECTORATE GENERAL OF CUSTOMS,
AND SOLD BY
KELLY & WALSH, LIMITED: SHANGHAI, HONGKONG, YOKOHAMA, AND SINGAPORE.
LONDON : P. s. KING & SON, CANADA BUILDING, KING STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.
[Price $0.50.] 1888-





TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page.
1. —Inspector Genend's Circular No. 372, Second Series :—Opium : value of Boiled Opium, weight
of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.; I・G・ calls for Report on ・・・ ・・・ .・. '・・. 1
2. —Replies to above Circular :—
Newcliwang : Commissioner Edgar's Despatch No. 269 of 23rd May 1887 ・・・ ・.. 4
Tientsin : Commissioner Detring?s Despatch No. 324 of 6th June 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ..・ 7
Chefoo : Commissioner Moorhead^ Despatch No. 363 of 28th May 1887 ・・・ .・• 9
Ichaug : Assistant-in-Charge Montgomery's Despatch No. 230 of 31st May 1887 ・・・ 13
Hankow : Commissioner Bredon，s Despatch No. 384 of 16th June 1887 ・.. ・.. 15
Kiukiang : Commissioner Simpson?s Despatch No. 251 of 24th May 1887 .・. ・.. 20
Wuliu : Commissioner Hughes，Despatch No. 271 of 26th May 1887 ・・・ ・.. ..・ 23
Chinkiang : Commissioner Novion's Despatch No. 319 of 2nd June 1887 ・・・ ・・. 26
Shanghai: Commissioner Hoeson's Despatch No. 700 of 8th June 1887 ・・・ .・・ 30
Ningpo : Commissioner Kleinwachte^s Despatch No. 337 of 30th May 1887 ・・・ ・・・ 34
Wenchow : Assistant-in-Charge Erazier's Despatch No. 251 of 2nd June 1887 ・・・ ・・・ 37
Foochow : Commissioner Hannen's Despatch No. 471 of 25th May 1887 ・・・ ・・. 40
Enclosure : Cost of the different Descriptions of Opium, Raw and Boiled ・・・ 44
Tamsui: Assistant-in-Charge Chalmers' Despatch No. 279 of 28th May 1887 ・・・ ・・. 45
Takow : Assistant・in・Charge A・ Lay?s Despatch No. 288 of 1st June 1887 ・・・ ・・・ 48
Amoy : Commissioner McLeavy Frown's Despatch No. 470 of 31st May 1887 ・・・ ・・・ 50
Swatow : Commissioner McKean's Despatch No. 370 of 23rd May 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ・・. 54
Canton : Commissioner White's Despatch No. 617 of 7th June 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ... 57
Kiungchow : Assistant-in-Charge Clarke's Despatch No. 248 of 28th May 1887 ・・・ 60
Pakhoi: Commissioner W・ Lay's Despatch No. 298 of 24th May 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 63
Kowloon : Commissioner Morgan's Despatch No. 71 of 21st June 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 65
Lappa : Commissioner Farag&s Despatch No. 21 of 21st May 1887 ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 67
Enclosure : Comparative Table showing the Disposal of Opium imported at
Macao from 1883 to 1885 ・・・ .・・ ・.. ・.・ ・・・ ・・. ・・・ 69


IV
OPIUM : CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Page.
3・一Mr. Ohlmer，s Summary of Port Replies to Circular No. 372 concerning the Relative Value
and Weigh to f R(iw cmd Eoiled Foteign Ofium ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 7°
Tabular Summary of Replies as to Local Names, Relative Weight, and Value of Raw and
Boiled Foreign Opium •… ・・・ •… ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 72
牛一Mr. Ohlmer's Summary of Port Replies to Circular No. 372 concerning the Net Weight of
Chests, Tare Allowances, etc., of Raw Foreign Opium ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 74
Tabular Summary of Replies as to Net Weight of Chests, Tare Allowances, etc., of Raw
Foreign Opium … ・・・ ・・・ … ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ … ・・・ [6
5・一Mr. Ohlmer?s Summary of Port Replies to Circular No. 372 concerning the Trade in and
Taxation, etc.‘of Eoiled Foreign Opium ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ ・・・ 78
Tabular Summary of Replies as to Trade in and Taxation, etc., of Boiled Foreign Opium 80


N.B—I Picul = 100 Catties = 133寺 lbs.
I Haikwan Tael = 6s. 8(l. par value = 4s. 10〃. @ 5s. at present rate of exchange.




OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Circular No. 372, Second Series.
Inspectorate General of Customs,
Peking, 28th April 1887.
SIR,
In continuation of my Circular No. 366 :
Concerning Duty on Boiled Opium :
I have now to ins tract you. to send me a Repot t, with as little delay as possible,
embodying replies to the following queries :—
1°. What is tlie result of the boiling or preparing process on the various kinds
of Opium : does it increase the value while it decreases the weight ?
2O. 100 catties Raw Patna will produce liow many catties Boiled Patna ?
3°. 100 catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts.........?
The same when Boiled, and weighing only..........catties, will sell for
Hk.Tts..........?
4°. 100 catties Raw Mcdwa will boil into liow many catties ?
5°. 100 catties Raw Mahva, Duty and Liki.11 paid, sell for Hk.Tts...........?
Boiled, and weighing only..............catties, the same will sell for
Hk.Tts..........?
6°. 100 catties Raw Benares will boil into liow many catties ?
7°. 100 catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts...........?
Boiled, and weighing only..............catties, the same will sell for
HhTts...........?
8°. Persian-----Turkish Opium : 100 catties Raw will boil into liow many
or 1 J
catties ?
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Circular 372.
1


2
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Circular 372.
9°. Persian Tzcrkish Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tls............
per 100 catties ? The same when Boiled, although weigliing only...........
catties, will sell for Hk.Tts.........?
10°. What are the local names (Chinese characters and local pronunciation) for—
Malwa Raw and Malwa Boiled ?
Patna ” Patna ” ？
Benares ” Benares ” ？
Persian „ Persian ” ？
.Turkish ” Turkish ” ？
11°. What weight of Opium does one chest Patna (usually or invariably) contain?
” ” ” 55 Alctlwci ” ” ”？
” ” ” ,,B&iidvcs ” ” ”？
” 55 ” ” PcTsictn ” ” ”？
” ” ” ” luvlcish ” ” ” ？
12°. In your port trade practice, what Patna tare does seller allow ?
” ” ” ” M^ctlwcb ” ” •
” ” » 55 BcnctTcs ” ” ?
” ” 5? ” P&i'sictn ” ” ？
” ” ” ” 1 wrJcish ” ” ？
13°. In your office practice, what Patna tare does Customs allow ?
” ” ” Malwa ” ” ?
” ” ” ■Be7ia/res ” ” ？
” ” ,, Persian ” ” ？
” ” ” 2 uvlcishj ” ” ？
14°. Will it suit all parties to pass Patna diests as invariably containing
120 catties, and Malwa (and all other cake varieties) as invariably
containing 100 catties?
15°. Have you any remarks, explanations, or suggestions to offer respecting the
tare actually allowed or proper to be allowed ?
16°. Do the Chinese Opium traders at your port boil Opium only for local use,
or do they also send it inland for sale ? If so, to what places and in
what packages, and pure or mixed with Native Opium ?
17°. Do your port boiling firms export Boiled Opium ? If so, to what Chinese
(Treaty and non-Treaty) and to what Foreign ports, and in whai
packages, and pure or mixed with Native Opium ?


CIRCULAR NO. 372, SECOND SERIES.
3
18°. What has been the old Likin. Collectorate practice in your neighbourhood ?
Has any tax, and what, been levied on Boiled Opium consumed at the
port or travelling inland ?
19°. Do boiling firms pay any fee for boiling privilege, and what, and to whom;
or may all who like to do so boil ?
20°. What has been the Customs practice at your port ? What Duty do you
levy on Boiled Opium departing and on Boiled Opium arriving; and
do you levy on value or on weight ?
21°. Is Native Opium in use at your port ? pure or mixed with Foreign, and
which kind, Opium ?
22°. At what places is such Native Opium produced; and what is the Chinese
name and local, i.e., at your port, value per picul of each variety ?
23°. How much Boiled will a picul of Raw Opium, Native, produce; and what
are the prices of the 100 catties Raw and the...........catties Boiled ?
24°. What taxes is Native Opium known to have to pay (a.) at place of
production, (b.) en mute, ancl (c.) at your port; and to what offices are
such payments made ?
The above points are to be inquired into ancl reported on with all possible expedition.
What is specially necessary.is that each port should tell its own story of what is done
there and known there. The Opium dealers ought to be talked with and questioned,
and they may be tolcl that the object of the inquiries is to provide for uniform
treatment, so that no port or dealer may suffer from any special inequality or local
hardship. N.B.—•The Kowloon and Lappa Commissioners in replying are to write as
if called on to report on the state of the Opium business at Honghong and Macao.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
ROBERT HART,
Inspector General.
To
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Circular 372.
The Commissioners of Customs.


4
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Newchwang.
NEWC HWANG.
No. 269. Custom House,
Newchwang, 23沁 May 1887.
Sir,
In accordance with the instructions contained in your Circular No. 372, Second
Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on :
I have now the honour to submit the following Report, in wliicli I have answered the various
queries set forth in your Circular.
i° to io°.—The replies to queries Nos. i° to io° can be most conveniently shown in tabular
form, supplemented by a brief note of explanation, as follows:—
Description of Opiu m. Local Name (in Chinese, with Pronunciation). ioo Catties Ra；w Opium produce Boiled Opium ・ Value of ioo Catties Raw, Duty and Likin paid. Value of Boiled produce of 100 Catties Raw.
Raw. Boiled.
Catties. Hlc.Th. Hk.Th.
公大土 {Kung-ta-tC/ic) 公班{Kung-paii) r 羸 W (Kuanci-kao)
Patna f ■( I 大 土廣膏{Ta-tcu-kuang-kao) 公大 土廣膏(Kung-ta-Vu-kuang-lcao) }51 402.58 511.41
Malwa 小土 (Hs仏o・t%° & 土 (Pa讥迪 ' r )J、土，嘗 (^Hsicio-Vu-Jccio) I 80
I 白 土 {PcLi-tcu-lccbo) 471.70 707.83
I
喇大 土 ... J ，膏(Kuctng-kao) •
Benares Qjj'lj 土 (La-ta-Vu-lcao) }51 394.90 496.37
( 喇莊{La-chuang') 〔 嘲夫土廣膏{La-ta-tcu-kuang-kao)....
Note.—Persian and Turkish Opium are excluded from the table, the former being quite unknown here, and the trade in the latter,
known as Chin-hua-hung (金花紅), having completely ceaseci. Turkish Opium was formerly imported for the purpose of adulterating Malwa,
being 60 cheaper in price and producing the same amount of Prepared Opium ; it appears to have been also mixed with Patna and Benares.
Smokers objected to it because its use was followed l)y a feeling of lieat or soreness in the throat, and excessive smoking was apt to induce nasal
hcemorrhage.
With regard to the prices given in the table, it may be explained that Opium is sold by tlie chest, Import Duty paid, Likin to be paid by
the purchaser, the prices being :—Patna, NewcJiwang 27s. 420 per cliest; Malvva, Nevjcli/wang 425 per cliest; and Benares, Neiucktuang 27s. 410
per chest. (Ilk.Tts, 100 = Neiuch^uang 金 108.50.) As regards tlie prices given for Prepared Opium, Patna sells for Newchwang 27s. 0.68
per tael, Malwa for Newchwaug Tts. 0.60 per tael, and Benares for Neiuchwang IZTs. 0.66 per tael. Pure and unadulterated Patna is known
as Chling~sliui■也(trngJao (淸水廣膏)• Iii the Opium' divans the only names in use appear to be Hsiao-Vu-kao (小±膏) and
Ta-Vu-kao (大土膏)•
11°.一The Opium in a chest of Patna or Benares weighs, if new, from 2,030 to 2,040 taels;
when stale and dry, it weighs from 1,800 to 1,900 taels. (NB—120 catties = 1,920 taels.)


NEWCHWANG.
5
The Opium in a chest of Malwa weighs 102 catties if direct from Hongkong, but only
100 catties after passing through Shanghai.
120.—Opium being sold by the chest, and the weight of the drug contained in a cliest
being practically constant, no account is taken of tare by seller or purchaser. The following are
the weights of box, packing, etc., of each kind:—Patna, 90 to 120 catties; Malwa, 62 to 82 catties;
and Benares, 95 to 125 catties. The wood of which the boxes containing Benares are made is
thicker than that used for Patna.
130.—The Examiners here allow 110 fixed tare on the three kinds of Opium imported, the
gross weight varying so greatly. Malwa is occasionally turned out and weighed.
14°.——No loss will accrue either to the revenue or the merchants at this port if Patna
â– and. Benares are passed as invariably containing 120 catties and Malwa 100 catties. .
15°.一Tlie merchants here have no complaints to make nor suggestions to offer regarding
the present system of tare.
16°.—No Boiled Malwa or Benares is sent into the interior. About four chests of Patna
are boiled in the port annually, and of tliese two are said to be sent into tlie interior. It is
packed in brass boxes containing 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 taels, and goes to the following places:—
瀋陽遼陽，海城，牛莊，蓋州，新民屯，興京，復州,金州,鐵嶺，開原，岫巖（^1 m the
加 of 奉 天）. The largest quantity is sent to the following four places in the fib of 錦 州，viz.:—
錦 縣，廣甯，義 州'甯遠州• ’ It may be here said that the above are the places to which the
Raw drug also finds its way.
17°.—Boiled Opium is not exported from this port.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate having collected Duty on the Raw drug did not further
tax it when boiled. In tlie case of any considerable quantity sent into the interior, a Transit
Pass was given to tlie merchant if lie cliose to apply for it.
190.—No license is required for boiling, which is open to all.
200.—In tlie few cases when Boiled Opium lias passed this office it has been charged
5 per cent, ad valorem.
210.—Native Opium is both grown and consumed in this province. Of smokers who
indulge in the vice at tlieir own homes, 90 per cent, smoke tlie Native drug, 5 per cent, smoke
pure Malwa, 5 per cent, smoke a mixture of Malwa and Native Opium. Of tlie Opium divans,
50 per cent, sell Prepared Native Opium, 20 per cent, sell a mixture of Native and Benares,
20 per cent, sell Prepared Malwa, and 10 per cent, sell Prepared Benares. Patna is smoked by
southerners resident in tlie province, and is never used in adulteration. The Natives of this
province indulge largely in smoking the ash or residue, which is said to be an aggravated form
of the vice. Native Opium, therefore, which can be smoked over seven or eight times meets
with more appreciation than the Foreign article, which can at most be smoked three times. For
this reason, while smokers of Malwa like it mixed with tlie Native drug, smokers of the Native
drug object to having the ash spoiled by a mixture with the rapidly consumed Foreign drug.
In the Opium divans Native Opium is mixed with Foreign to improve the flavour. One reason
for adulteration is that boilers of the Native drug buy a certain quantity of Foreign Opium to
hide their evasion of the tax on the Native Opium they have purchased. When visited by the
Likin runners they produce their invoice for the Foreign Opium and deny that they have boiled
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Newchwang.


6
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Newchwang.
anything else. As a proof of tlie esteem in which the asli （i.e., the residue after once smoking）
is held here, it may be stated that it is bought for 3 mace a tael, which is the price of
unadulterated Raw Native Opium （vide §§ 22° and 230）.
220 and 2 30.——Opium is very extensively grown in this province, principally out side the
barrier （邊外），but also in large quantities at 奉天,錦州,吉林,and 黑龍江.It is even
grown inside the mud wall enclosing Yingtzu. I cannot hear of any specific names or prices
assigned to the product of various localities. All alike is known under the name Pen-tcu （本 土）,
and when boiled is called Pen-tcu-kao-tzU （本 土 膏 子）. The Opium is bought when standing
in crop, and the gathering is superintended by the purchaser, and is thus effected: with a coarse
needle or other instrument an incision is made in tlie flesh of tlie poppy head; the milky fluid
which oozes out is wiped off with the finger, wliicli is then scraped on the edge of a small tin
cup, leaving the fluid to trickle down the inside of the vessel. The sap thus collected gradually
becomes black ancl thickened, ancl is then known as Yuan-chiavg （原 漿），which is pure Native
Opium, worth Nezvchwang Tts. 0.30 per tael. Every ounce of this produces when boiled 1 ounce
of Prepared Opium, which sells for Nezvchivang Tts. 0.50 per tael; i.e”—
ioo catties Raw Native Opium, worth Hk.Tts. 442.40, = 100 catties Prepared Opium,
worth Hk.Tts. 737.33.
Native Opium is adulterated each time it changes hands. The principal articles used in
adulteration are burnt pork rind （猪皮膏），which is going out of fashion, as it causes heart-
burn ;苣 薑莱,a plant exuding a milky juice ancl apparently allied to the sow-thistle ；黃 花莱，
a species of lily, known when clrieU as 金 針莱；sesamum seed cake （芝 薦 膏）；young willow
shoots （柳 條 膏）；and also the twigs and leaves of the Opium plant. This adulterated article
has two qualities, viz.:—
The superior quality, producing 0.65 tael of smoking mixture for each tnel of the
Raw drug, is worth Nezvchwang Tts. 0.24 to Nezvchwavg Tts. 0.25 per tael.
The inferior quality, producing 0.60 tael of smoking mixture for each tael of the
Raw drug, is worth N&wch/wa/ng Tts. 0.22 to Newclavang Tts. 0.23 per tael.
240.—Since the disestablishment of tlie Foreign Opium Likin Office （洋 藥釐 捐局）the
tax on Native Opium is collected by the Huo-li-chuan-chu （貨 釐捐 局）. Each, catty on arrival
pays Klup（ing Tts. 0.2.4.4 as shui （稅）and Kcupcing Tts. 0.3.3.2 as chuan （捐）.（J^up'ing
Tts. 100=NewcJavang Tts. 103.55 ; therefore, at 108.50, Hk.Tts. 100 —K'up'ing Tts. 104.78.） I have
instituted inquiries as to the taxes that are levied on the drug at the place of production and
en route, and I shall transmit the information, as soon as received, when replying to query
No. 40 in your Circular No. 375, Second Series.
I have, etc”
HY. EDGAR,
To Commissioner of Cicstoms
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


TIENTSIN.
7
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
TIENTSIN.
No. 324. General. Custom House,
I.G. No. 931. Tientsin, 6th June 1887.
Sir.,
Tientsin.
I have the honour to reply to the various queries set forth in your Circular No. 372,
Second Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various ldnds of Rew Opium, etc.;
• I.G. calls for Report on:
as follows.
1 °.—All Opium by boiling decreases in weight while it increases in value.
2°.—ioo catties Raw Patna will produce 50 catties Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hlc.Tts. 442; the same when
boiled, and weighing only 50 catties, sell for Hk.Tts. 506.
4°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will produce 70 catties Boiled Malwa.
5°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 506; the same when
boiled, and weighing only 70 catties, sell for Hk.Tts. 567.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will produce 50 catties Boiled Benares.
7°.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for H/c.Tts. 425 ； tlie same when
boiled, and weighing only 50 catties, sell for Hk.Tts. 481.
8° and 90.—Turkish and Persian. Opium are not imported. Particulars not ascertainable.
io°.—Malwa: Raw is called Hsiao-tcu （小 土），Kuang-t'u （廣 土），and Pai-tlu （白 土）；
Boiled is called Hsiao-t'u-kao （小 土 膏）,Kuang-t（u-lcao （廣 土 膏），and Pai-tcu-kao （白土 膏）.
Patna: Raw is called Ta-tcu （大 土），and Kung-pan （公班）；Boiled is called Ta-t'u-kao
（大 土 膏）,Kuoig-kao （公膏）,and Hei-t^-kao （黑 土 膏）.
Benares: Raw is called La-chuang （喇莊）and Hei-thb （黑 土）； Boiled is called Hei-t'u-
加0 （黑土膏）.
Persian or Turkisli: Raw is called CJdn-hua-tlu （金花 土）and T^it-hsiao-fu （次小 土）.
11°.—One chest Patna contains （invariably） 120 catties; one chest Malwa contains
（usually） 102 to 103 catties ； one chest Benares contains （invariably） 120 catties; while the usual
weight of Persian and Turkish is not ascertainable.
120.—In port trade practice Opium is weighed net; tare is not taken into consideration
by seller.
130.—In office practice Customs allow 102 to 106 catties tare for Patna, 60 to 65 catties
tare for Malwa, and 102 to 106 catties tare for Benares. Persian and Turkish are not importecl.
14°.—It will suit merchants and Customs to pass Patna chests as invariably containing
120 catties.
It will suit merchants, but not the Customs, to pass Malwa chests as invariably containing
100 catties.


8
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Tientsin.
15°.—It is suggested that Patna and Benares should be taken at 120 catties and Malwa
at 102 catties, and that the surplus, in gross weight, should be allowed as tare.
16°.—Chinese Opium traders at Tientsin boil Opium only for local use. Traders from the
interior buy it here and take it inland in all clirections within a radius of 1,000 li. Such Opium
is asserted by the traders to be pure. It is packed in tin boxes and weighs from | to i, 2, 3,
or 5 ounces.
17°.——The port boiling firms do not export Boiled Opium.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate practice in Tientsin was to levy JSk.Tts. 0.5.0.0 for every
100 ounces of Boiled Opium, whether consumed locally or travelling inland.
19°.—Boiling firms now pay no fee for privilege of boiling beyond that stated, above.
All who liked to do so could boil by giving notice at the Likin Collectorate and paying the fee
of Hk.Tts. 0.5.0.0 for every 100 ounces.
200.—Duty is levied at the rate of 5 per cent. acZ valorem on Boiled Opium arriving.
210.一It is strongly maintained by all local Opium dealers that the Native Opium in use
at this port is not mixed with Foreign Opium.
220.—Native Opium used at Tientsin is produced in Chihli, Shansi, Honan, Shantung,
Manchuria, Szechwan, and Yimnan.
Chihli Opium is called 本 地土； value, Hk.Tts. 17 per 100 ounces.
Shansi 西 土； i8
Honan 河南土； 17
Shantung 山 土； 16
Kwantung 東 土； i6
Szechwan 川 土； 16
Yunnan 雲 土； 17
23°.—ioo catties Raw Opium, Native, Avill produce from 50 to 6o catties Boiled Opium,
Native.
Price of the 100 catties Raw is Hk.Tls. 285.
Price of the 50 to 60 eatties Boiled is Hlc.Tts. 304 to Hk.Tts. 364.
240.—The taxes paid by Native Opium at place of production and en route are not
ascertainable.
At Tientsin Native Opium when imported in junks (it never has been imported by Foreign
vessels) pays Hangp'ivg Tts. 7.7.0.0 Import Duty and Rangp'ing Tts. 8.8.0.0 Likin per 100
catties. Payment is made to office of Haikwan Tao.
I have, etc”
DETRING,
To Commissioner of Customs.
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.'


CHEFOO.
9
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
CHEFOO.
Chefoo.
No. 363. Custom House, •
Chefoo, 28th May 1887.
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to my last despatch regarding Opium, No. 362, and to
reply to your Circular No. 372, Second Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on.
i°.—The result of the boiling and preparing process on Opium is to increase the value
and to decrease the weight of the drug.
20.—ioo catties of Raw Patna will produce 52 catties Boiled.
3°.—ioo catties of Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for 459; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 52 catties, will sell for Hk.Tis. 516.88.
4°.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa will boil into 80 catties.
5°.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 510; boiled, and
weighing only 80 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 538.40.
6°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares will boil into 53 catties.
7°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for 皿.Tfe 433; boiled,
and weighing only 53 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 519.40.
8°.—ioo catties of Raw Persian will boil into 80 catties.
9°.—ioo catties of Raw Persian, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 430； boiled,
and weighing only 80 catties, the same will sell for 47牛40. Turkish is not imported
at Chefoo.
In this connexion I would beg to refer to Customs publication II.—Special Series, No. 4：
Opium, page 15.
It appears that the value of 100 catties of the various kinds of Raw Opium stands:—
1879. 1887.
Malwa .... • . • Hk.Tts 535 Hk.Tts. 510
Patna .... • . • • ”383 ” 459
Benares.... ... ” 3So ” 433
Persian ... • . . . „ 450 ” 430
2


10
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chefoo.
Out-turn of 100 Catties.
1879.
Malwa .• . Catties 7。
Patna .... • • • • ” 55
Benares .... • • • ” 55
Persian .... • • • • ” 7。
-The quantity of Prepared Opium
as follows:——
1887.
Catties 8o
” 52
” 53
” So
yielded by ioo catties of Unprepared drug value
1879. 1887.
Malwa .... ....Hk.Tts. 546 Hk.Tts. 5 3 &40
Patna .... • . . • ” 420 ” 516.88
Benares ... • • . . ”41。 ” 519-40
Persian .... • • . • ” 5oo ” 47440
In 1879 the Likin on Raw Opium was Hk.Tts. 35.32; in 1887 it is Hk.Tts. 80.
I incline to the belief that the figures for 1887 are correct, and that those for 1879 are
not altogether reliable.
io°.—At Chefoo the local terms for the various kinds of Opium are as follows:—
Malwa: Raw, Hsiao-t（u （小 土）； Boiled, Hsiao-teu-lcao （小 土 膏）or Kua^g-kao
（廣膏）•
Patna: Raw, Kung-pan （公 班）；Boiled, Kung-kcto （公 膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-teu （喇 土） ； Boiled, La-kao （喇膏）.
Persian: Raw, Chin-hua-t'u （金花 土） ； Boiled, Chin-hua-t'u-kao （金花 土 膏）.
II0.—The weight of Opium usually contained in a chest—
Of Malwa is 103.43 catties, based on examination of 179 chests.
” Patna ” 119.50 ” ” ” ” 2 ”
” Benares ” 116.73 ” ” ” ” 32 ”
” Persian ” ioo ” ” ” ” I ”
Of Turkish none was imported during the period （see Chefoo despatch No. 349 of 1887）.
120.—In Chefoo trade practice Opium is sold chiefly in small parcels net weight, and not
by the chest; therefore tare is not allowed.
130.—In Chefoo office practice no tare is allowed. The Opium is weighed, and in the
case of Malwa the exact quantity is charged Duty, which quantity is always in excess of the
quantity, 100 catties, stated on application ï¼› Patna and Benares are charged on the standard
weight, 120 catties,—that being the weight stated for the chest upon importers application.
140.—Patna and Benares may be taken at the standard weight, viz” 120 catties per diest;
but Malwa, Persian, and Turkish being repacked at Hongkong or Shanghai, and being in small


CHEFOO.
11
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chefo o.
pieces, these cannot be taken. at the standard weight, viz., ioo catties per chest. The point is
that Patna and Benares are in large balls of equal weight and size, and each ball is placed in
a separate partition in the chest, and an extra ball could not be put into the chest; Mahva,
Persian, and Turkish are packed in dry poppy leaf, and being in small pieces of irregular number
and irregular weight, it is easy to add an extra piece or ex,tra pieces. A chest of Malwa invariably
contains over ioo catties of Opium, and were the standard fixed at, say, 103寺 catties （which
would be nearer to the average than 100 catties）, the tendency would grow to decrease the
leaf-packing and to increase the Opium. It appears to me tlmt the most satisfactory procedure,
at least for the present, would be to open, examine, and weigh each chest of Opium of whatever
description, and to charge Duty on tlie exact quantity contained therein. It is worth considering
whether, when the dealer applies to pay Duty on the standard weight, and when examination
proves less than the standard weight contained in the chest, the merchant should be allowed
the advantage of our examination having satisfied us that there is less Opium in the chest
than lie declared, or should he be charged on the weight which lie declared, and which weight
no doubt was put into the chest in India. It is probable that when Patna and Benares are
made up in chests in India that 120 catties of the drug are put into each chest, but that
when the drug is brouglit into a drier climate, and when it gets older, it becomes drier and
harder, and that the loss of weight is caused by the escape of moisture only, and therefore
that the same quantity of drug remains in the chest at Chefoo as was put into it in India, and
that the Opium, tliougli under the standard weight, is up to the standard value.
150.一I am of opinion that Patna and Benares might be passed without the chest being
invariably opened, if tlie importer so desired, lie paying on the standard weight of 120 catties;
there is no object in settling a tare, as, in order to label the balls, it is necessary to oFen the
chest, and therefore easy to weigh the Opium. Malwa, Persian, and Turkish must be opened
and weighed.
16°.——Traders at Chefoo boil Opium for local use only. It is also boiled at various places
in the interior. Tlie boiling is done in smoking-shops and in retail shops. Malwa is boiled
mixed together with Native Opium.
170.一Boiled Opium is not exported from Chefoo.
18°.—Formerly Boiled Opium paid a Likin of HlcfSts. 67.20 at this port,
190.一No license is necessary for boiling Opium. No fee is paid.
200.一Boiled Opium has not been exported from Chefoo; and very little has been imported.
A11 Import Duty has been charged by this office of Hk.Tts. 60, i.e., twice the amount （Hk.Tts. 30）
charged upon Raw Opium.
210.—Native Opium is used at Cliefoo; it is generally mixed witli Malwa. This probably
accounts for the increase （as compared with other kinds of Foreign drug） of Malwa.
220.—Native Opium used here comes from tlie provinces of Sliansi （山 西）and Honan
（河 南）and from Kiangpei （江北），as well as from Feng-tlen-fu （奉天府）and Kirin （吉林）；
but chiefly from the Shantung districts, Chi-mo （即墨）and Wei-hsien （滩縣），the districts of
Lai-chou-fu （萊州府）, and also from Lai-yang-hsien （萊陽縣in Teng-chou-fu （登州府）;


—

Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chef oo・
12 OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Shou-kuang-lisien （壽光縣），An-clriu-lisien （安邱縣）,An-le-lisien （安樂 縣），in Cli'ing-cliou-fu
（靑州府）；and all districts of Yen-cliou-fu （兖州府），I-chou-fu （沂州府）,Ts'ao-chou-fa
（曹州府），Chi-nan-fu （濟南府），Tung-clfang-fu （東昌府），T^i-an-fu 傣安府），AVu-ting-fu
（武定府），Lin-ch/ing-chou （臨淸州），and Clii-ning-chou （濟甯州）.The Opium merchants
of Teng-chou-fu and Lai-chou-fu generally purchase Native Opium in the districts of Ts'ao-
chou-fu and Hsii-chou-fu. These two prefectures produce more of the drug than any other
places in the province; the estimate of value of tlieir production is over Tts. 1,000,000. In
short, in every part of Shantung Opium is grown. Tsfao-chou-fu, in Shantung, and Hsu-cliou-
fu, in Kiangpei, produce an unusually large quantity of Opium, which is of good quality. The
only names given to Native Opium liere are Pen-ti-tcu （本 地 土）and Hsi-tcu （西 土）. Its value
varies from Hk.Tts. 300 to Hk.Tts. 390 per picul. The cheaper varieties are mixed with Avhat
the dealers term " stuff" or " cake-stuff." This stuff is sesamum seed cake.
230.—ioo catties Raw Native Opium will give 85 catties Boiled. 100 catties Raw
Native Opium are valued at Hk.Tts. 388. The 85 catties of Boiled Native Opium are valued
at Hk.Tts. 540.
240.—（cc.） It is not known here what tax Native Opium pays at the place of production*
@.） It is said that en route there is but one legitimate charge, Tts. 10.50, but it is believed that
there are other charges. The legitimate charge of Tts. 10.50 may be collected by any Likin Office
past which the Opium comes, （c.） At Cliefoo there is a charge of 10.50; this amount is
paid to the Chefoo Likin Office. But should the Opium have paid Trs. 10.50 en route to Chefoo,
a second charge would not be collected.
I have, etc.,
R. B. MOORHEAD,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


ICHANG.
13
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
ICHANG. Ichang.
No. 230. I.G. Custom House, Ichang, 31对 May 1887.
Sir,
With reference to your Circular No. 372, Second Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various ldnds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on:
I have the honour to state that——
i° to 200.—-Practically nothing is known about Foreign Opium in Ichang, of which, since
the opening of the port in 1877, only 4.86 piculs have been imported, and therefore with respect
to the first 20 queries I have no information to supply.
21°.—Pure Native Opium is in use at this port.
220.—Such Opium is produced in the Ichang prefecture and throughout the Yunnan and.
Szechwan provinces. The three kinds are known as:—
Ck（iao-tlu （喬 土），product of Icliang prefecture; local value, about Hk.Tts. 250
per picul.
Yun-t'u （雲±） or Nan-t（u （南 土），product of Yunnan; local value, about
Hk.Tts. 280 per picul.
Ckuan-t'u （Jl| 土）, product of Szechwan; best quality, local value, about Hk.Tts. 250
per picul; inferior quality, value, about Hk.Tts. 220 per picul.
23°.—A picul of Raw Native Opium produces 70 catties of Boiled Opium; i.e.,—
Chliao-tcu, 100 catties Raw, value Hk.Tts. 250, produces 70 catties Boiled, value
Hlc.Tts. 306.
Yun-t'u, 100 catties Raw, value HJc.Tts. 280, produces 70 catties Boiled, value
Hk.Tts. 326. •
Ch（uan-tlu （best）, 100 catties Raw, value Hk.Tts. 250, produces 70 catties Boiled,
value Hlcffts. 306.
Chcucm-tlu （inferior）, 100 catties Raw, value Hh.Tts. 220, produces 70 catties Boiled,
value, Hk.Tts, 265.
The above values of Boiled Opium are calculated on retail prices.


14
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
ICHANG.
24°.—As far as I can ascertain, no taxes are levied at the places of production. En route,
a tax of 5 cash per Hang weight of Opium, equal to about HIc.Tts. 4.77 per picul, should be paid
to the Chcang-kuan （常關）at K'uei-cliou-fu （夔州府），and a tax of 8 casli per Hang weight,
equal to about Hk.Tts. 7.65 per picul, to the Likin Office （釐金局）at Icliang. Opium on the
way down the river from K'uei-cliou-fu is examined at the barrier at P£ing-shan-pa （平善 土霸）,
about 15 miles from here, and certificates of the weight are forwarded to the Ichang Likin Office.
I am informed, however, that the greater part of the Opium arriving here is carried surrepti-
tiously from, the places of production across the hills, and thus avoids all taxation. It is even
smuggled through the gates of the city. To encourage the traffic to take legitimate channels,
and for the sake of collecting some revenue, the taxes are considerably reduced. In fact, it is
said that at K（uei-chou-fu and at Icliang the tax is only levied on one-fifth of the real weight.
During last year, the 12th of Kuang Hsu, if my informtmt be correct, 183.72 piculs paid Likin at
Ichang. Five times this amount, viz., 918.60 piculs, is therefore what really arrived, and, say,
Hkffts. 1,405 Likin were levied, instead of Hk.Tts. 7,025.
I have, etc.,
P H. S. MONTGOMERY,
Assistant-in-Charge.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


HANKOW.
15
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
HANKOW.
Hankow.
No. 3 8牛 Custom House,
Hankow, i6th June 1887.
Sir,
I regret to say that in consequence of all those people who could give me any
reliable information being so fully occupied during the early days of the tea season, I have not
been able to get so soon as I wished the information necessary to enable me to reply to your
Circular No. 372, concerning Boiled Opium. I beg, however, now to submit my replies to your
queries.
i°.—Boiling Opium increases the value while decreasing the weight.
20.—100 catties of Raw Patna produce from 50 to 53 catties of Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties of Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid at the Tts. 110 rate, are worth from
HanJcozv Tfe. 410 to Hankozv Tts. 425, i.e., Hk.Tts. 377 to Hk.Tts. 391; the 50 odd catties of Boiled
Opium which these 100 catties would yield are worth Hankow Tts. 426 to Hankow Tts. 440,
or Hk.Tts. 392 to Hk.Tts. 405.
40.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa will boil into from 72 to 80 cat ties of Prepared drug.
5°.一ioo catties of Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid at the new regulation rate, are worth
from Hankozv Tts. 460 to Hanlcozo Tts. 490, equivalent to Hk.Tts. 423 to Hk.Tts. 451 ï¼› the Boiled
product, amounting to, say, 70 or 80 catties, is put down for me as worth Hankozv Tts. 480 to
Hanlcoiv Tts. 510, or, say, Hk.Tts. 441 to Hk.Tts. 469.
6° and 7°.—Benares Opium comes here in small quantities. It is not distinguished from
Patna on the local market. The answers given for Patna are equally applicable to Benares.
8° and 90.—Persian Opium is rarely seen here nowadays. Two chests only arrived in
1886, that being the lowest point the annually declining figures have reached. This sort of
Opium goes out of the port soon after arrival, and is consumed, as I understand, in the Wu-
ch'ang prefecture. The price is reported to be from Hankozv Tts. 120 to Hankozu Tts. 130
per picul less than that of Malwa. No one here seems to know what is the result of boiling this
variety of the drug.
Turkish Opium is quite unknown here: we have no record of any import in our Returns,
and I have been able to find no one who knows anything about it, even its Chinese name.
The principal market for the Persian and Turkish varieties of Opium is said to be the
Gulf ports in the North. I have heard it stated that some Opium of these varieties is occasionally


16
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Hankow.
brought into China by the trans-Mongolian route, but I have no reliable information and no
corroborative evidence in this connexion.
io°.—Raw Malwa Opium is called Kuang-tu （廣 土）and Usiao-tlu （小 土），and Boiled
Opium of the same kind is called Kuavg-kao （廣 膏）and Hsiao-tcu-kao （小 土 膏）.
Raw and Boiled Patna are respectively known as Ta-tlu （大 土）and Kung-kao （公 膏）.
Benares in the Raw state is called La-chuavg （喇庄 or 月勞庄）;when boiled it passes
as Boiled Patna under the name of Kung-kcto （公 膏）.
Raw Persian is Chin-hua （金 花）；and Boiled, Chin-hua-kao （金 花 膏）.
I cannot find any local name for Turkish.
All the Chinese characters given above are pronounced here much as they are in the
northern Mandarin dialect, except that among the lower classes tcu （土） is pronounced tou.
11°.—Patna is packed in so-called 120-catty chests. A chest seldom varies materially
from that weight; if it does, it is generally less rather than more. We have seen a chest
weighing as much as 125 catties.
Malwa Opium always arrives here in chests meant to contain 100 catties of Opium. The
actual weight varies according to the state of the weather and the age of the Opium: the older
the Opium and the drier the weather the lighter it weighs. Most of the Opium we have seen
here latterly is comparatively new. The experience of our Examiner is that chests weigh from
103 to 105 catties. Eacli chest, I am told, is meant to contain 134 lb. I have seen chests
weighing only 97 or 98 catties. We have no experience of Benares or Persian Opium.
12°.—I cannot make out that there is any definite rule as to tare. If a chest weighs
more than 100 catties I have no doubt the seller makes as much as lie can out of tlie excess.
Each chest is sold separately on its own merits. Before coming to terms an intending buyer has
it opened; a certain number of balls are cut, breathed upon and smelt, and otherwise minutely
inspected, and tlie whole lot is weighed. Then a price is fixed for the chest as it stands, due
consideration being given to quantity and quality.
13°.—In this office we always, unless there is some strong reason to the contrary, treat a
diest of Malwa as containing 100 catties, and one of Patna as containing 120 catties. If the chest
is an original chest, i.e., one arrived here in the same condition as tliat in which it left Bombay,
I would treat it as 100 catties, unless the reason for doing otherwise was very specially strong.
I am inclined to read the Additional Article as meaning that Duty and Likin are chargeable
on a "chest of Opium weighing 100 catties—be tlie same more or less, to use a lawyer's
phrase. The old Likin Office always assumed that a chest meant a picul of Malwa, and acted
accordingly. Our practice here—for I have made no rule, preferring to treat each case on its
own merits—is to treat a chest as a picul, if tlie excess does not exceed 3 or at most 4 per cent.
Should it reach 5 per cent., and especially if the excess occurred in the case of a chest which
had been repacked in Hongkong, as many of the cases that come here are, I should be inclined
to demand extra Duty. If Opium were imported in less quantity than a 100-catty chest, I
should charge on actual net weight.


HANKOW.
17
14°.—In tlie matter of original chests, I think it would suit everyone if the Malwa chests
were taken as ioo, and the Patna at 120, catties, so long as the discrepancy between nominal
and actual weight does not amount to more than the per-centage we now find.
15°.—Should we find Hongkong repacked chests of Malwa containing more than 102 or
103 catties, I would suggest charging on actual weight, with a view to discouraging the manipu-
lation of the drug between India and China. Patna, of course, I should treat similarly, mutatis
mutandis.
16°.—I believe Opium traders here only boil for local consumption, or perhaps I should
put it better if I said for sale across the counter. Some of、vhat is sold does go into the interior,
but not on the trader's account. It is carried there by purchasers, for the most part private
persons, carrying at most not over 100 ounces. Opium boiled in the shops for sale is seldom or
never pure Foreign Opium, nor is it always even pure Opium. The shops mix in during
decoction sesamum seed cake, the skin, of pork, and other adulterating substances.
17°.—I may answer your query by saying there is practically no export of Boiled Opium
hence.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate took no cognizance of Boiled Opium arriving, departing,
or in transit.
190.—Boiling-houses take out no license (in my general remarks below I shall have
something to say about licenses), neither do they pay any fee for the privilege of boiling.
It looks to me as if anyone can boil who chooses. The man who binds the Customs books
boils Opium publicly on the street, outside his sliop; so does the Cantonese cobbler who mends
our shoes.
200.—All Prepared Opium here has paid a 5 per cent, ad vcdorem Duty up to the time
of the receipt of your Circular No. 366. The amount wliicli lias annually passed through this
Custom House can be reckoned in catties.
210.—Native Opium is very much in use at this port. A man in the Opium business,
who ought to know, but whose statement nevertheless I am somewhat inclined to treat as an
exaggeration, tells me that the stock of Native Opium at this moment in Hankow amounts to
3,000 piculs, and that the annual local value of the trade amounts to somewhere about
Tts. 5,000,000.
I shall immediately write you a special Report on the subject of Native Opium, in reply
to your Circular No. 375 ï¼› in it I shall answer at length the queries contained in paragraphs
210 to 240 of your Circular under acknowledgment. Here, however, I may say：—
23°.—The price of Native Opium varies very considerably, according to what province
it comes from, how much is in the market, and what is the demand. Its fluctuations are of
much, wider range than in the case of Foreign Opium. A picul of Native Opium will produce
from 60 to 70 catties of Boiled Opium. The picul of Raw Opium may be put down as worth,
from Hk.Tts. 200 to Hk.Tts. 240; the Boiled product would be worth about Tts. 10 more.
With regard to the yield of Boiled Opium, I understand that Opium boiled at shops
is never so good nor so pure as that which private persons boil for their own use. The
3
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Hankow.


18
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Hankow.
shopkeepers purposely leave in a larger quantity of dregs, which serve to increase the weight
of the Boiled product at least 5 or 6 per cent. A well-to-do man who can afford to buy a good
quantity of Raw Opium, and will boil it with special care for his own use, would likely find
its weight not above 60 or 65 per cent, of that of the original Opium. A shopkeeper would
possibly get 70 per cent, of drug, and make it up to 80 per cent, by adulteration.
There are here three classes of Opium dealers:—（i°.） The Opium merchants, who deal
in Opium wholesale. （20.） Those who keep retail Opium shops, Teic-tien （土 店）；these are
spoken of collectively by the officials as the Tcu-pang （土 帮），or Corporation of Opium Dealers,
which I shall speak of hereafter by its Chinese name. This corporation is not the Opium Guild
of which one sometimes hears; that is composed of wholesale dealers, most of whom are Swatow
and Ningpo men: the shopkeepers are generally natives of the place. I11 these shops both
Native and Foreign Opium are sold, though some deal exclusively in the one or the other.
（30.） The third class is composed of the keepers of Opium divans, dens, or whatever one might
call those places where Opium is sold for consumption on the premises. These are called
generically yen-lcuan （烟 館）in Chinese.
Till latterly the Opium shops sold as a rule only Raw Opium by the catty, in quantities
never exceeding half a chest. They occasionally boiled Opium either for the convenience of
private purchasers who bought the Raw drug from them, or for sale to the yen-kuan. The
amount they boiled was always small, because private consumers who can boil their own
generally do so, as they get a more reliable and more economical product. Further, the yen-
lcuan preferred to boil their own, as they could by that means adulterate it the more easily.
I am told that in many of these yen-lcuan the stuff supplied to smokers did not contain more
than 10 per cent, of Opium.
Last year, however, Tan Fut'ai made a raid on the yen-kuan, and directed the closure
of the whole lot of them. A few managed to keep going surreptitiously, but the large majority
had to shut the door. As a result, the frequenters of the yen-lcuan, generally the lowest and
poorest classes of the community, had to find their Opium elsewhere. To meet their needs
the Opium shops began to boil more, and to sell in a very small way Prepared Opium ready
for the pipe. They will sell as little as 50 cash worth. These shops, I am told, do a business
from 1,000 cash to 5,000 cash a day. Last year an effort was made to classify the shops and
require tliem to take out a license—not, so far as I can learn, a “ license to boil," blit a license
to sell." The moving spirit was Huang, our late Customs Deputy ancl head of the old Opium
Likin Office, whose work we took over. It was proposed that the shops should be divided
into three classes, according to the amount of business annually doneï¼› that each should
provisionally receive a license or chih-chao from the Fantai, to be replaced later by another
license, called a pu-chao, to be issued by, or more likely on account of, the Board of Revenue;
and that the fees should be at the rate of Tts. 6, Tts. 4.50, and Tts. 3 per quarter, or chieh （結）,一
representing an annual payment of Tts. 24, Tts. 18, and Tts. 12 a year respectively for the first,
second, and third class shops. The fees were to be collected and accounted for by the Likin
Office.
I am tolcl that dlr. Huang did not succeed in bringing the system into full working
order; above all, he did not succeed in getting in the fees. The principal objection was that


HANKOW.
19
the fees were too high, particularly for the third class, who urged that a tael a month was an
intolerable impost on their small earnings.
Apart from the license fee, the Tcu-pang is responsible—or was, for the new regulations
have knocked the arrangement out of gear—to the Han-yang Magistracy for the payment of
Tts. 3 per chest on all Opium sold by or passing through the hands of any of its members, as
a contribution to a sort of municipal fund. At present it is not levied on Foreign Opium. I
am, as the tax now applies only to Native Opium, describing this tax, its mode of collection
and uses, more fully in my Native Opium Report.
I have, etc.,
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Hankow.
R. E. BREDON,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.Q.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


20
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Kiukiang,
KIUKIANG.
No. 251.
I.G.
Sir,
Custom House,
Kiukiang, 24th May 1887.
In accordance with the instructions contained in your Circular No. 372, Second
Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on:
I have the honour to submit the following remarks.
Trade in Boiled Opium at this port is restricted into very narrow limits; it is merely
a retail business carried on by retail dealers, and mainly for local consumption. Small quantities
are sent into the interior, and the total value of tlie trade in the Prepared drug barely exceeds
Tts. 1,000 a year.
The various kinds of Raw Opium when submitted to the boiling process lose differently
in weight, but the value of the drug is not increased, except by the expenses of the boiling,
which have to be added to the original cost.
As the result of the boiling process, the following figures have been ascertained:—
ioo catties Raw Patna will produce 55 catties Boiled Patna.
100 catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hlc.Tts. 386; the same when
boiled, and weighing only 55 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 411.
One chest Patna contains 120 catties, and is sold at Hk.Tts. 463.
100 catties Raw Malwa will boil into 75 catties.
100 catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts. 485; boiled, and
weighing only 75 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 510.
100 catties Raw Benares will boil into 55 catties.
100 catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for 丑加TZs. 377； boiled, and
weighing only 55 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 402.50.
100 catties Raw Persian will boil into 75 catties.


KIUKIANG.
21
Persian Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 400 per 100 catties; the same
when boiled, altliougli weighing only 75 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 425.
Malwa, Raw, is known here as Hsiao-t'u （）J、土）.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Kiukiang.
” Boiled, ”
Patna, Raw, ”
” Boiled, ”
Benares, Raw, ”
„ Boiled, ”
Persian, Raw, ”
” Boiled, ”
” Pai-pi-kao （白皮膏）.
” Ta-tQu （大 土）.
” Kung-pan-/cao （公班膏）.
”加畑（喇土）.
” La-t'u-lcao （喇土膏）•
” Chin-hua-huQig-t'u （金花紅 土）.
” Chin-hua-hung-kao （金花紅膏）.
The trade is principally carried on in Utlalwa; of the other kinds the import is extremely
limited, and none but Patna and Persian are supplied.
One cliest of Malwa usually weighs 100 catties for trade purposes.
One chest of Patna invariably weighs 120 catties.
One cliest of Persian invariably weighs 100 catties.
Of Benares and Turkish Opium no imports have been recorded within the last six years.
The Opium business here is a retail trade. Importers supply their customers in lots
to suit purchasers, and the quantities are weighed out, no tare being allowed. If a purchaser
takes a whole diest or half a diest of Malwa, the seller allows 28 or 14 taels weight respectively.
On Patna no reduction is gran ted. If there should be an importation of the other kinds,
and purchasers would take a diest or half a diest, the Shangliai trade practice would be followed.
No Opium is imported here direct from abroad, the shipments all being made from Shanghai.
The weight is taken from tlie cargo certificate, and the Duty and Likin levied accordingly.
Purchasers here take the cliest of Patna as invariably to contain 120 cat ties, and Malvva
and all other kinds made up in cakes as weighing 100 catties. Since the simultaneous collection
of Duty and Likin lias come into force and each chest has been weighed exactly, it has been
ascertained that the average weight of one cliest Malwa is about 103 to 1.031 catties, and in
two instances the net weight has even been 105 catties. No notice lias hitherto been taken
of this excess; but if it should be decided upon to levy Duty on the exact weight, I am of
opinion that a tare of 2$ catties per cliest would be a fair allowance to the importer.
Opium traders nt this port do not boil the drug; the boiling is done by the retail
shopkeepers, for local consumption. Small quantities of Boiled Opium have been sent inland,
principally to Chci-men （祁門）,Fu-chou （撫州）,Lo-plng （樂平）,and Cliing-te-chen （景德鎭）.
The Boiled Opium is packed in metal boxes containing from 1 to 10 taels. Mainly Patna is used
for this trade, and it may be surmised, though, it is not admitted by the dealers, that the Native
drug is mixed with the Foreign Opium.
No Boiled Opium is exported from this port to e让lier a Chinese or a Foreign port.
While tlie old Likin Office collected the dues on the drug, a dealer wishing to boil tlie
Opium would notify the office of tlie fact, and when the process liad been carried out and it


22
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Kiukiang.
had been ascertained that no fraud had been committed, the Likin Collectorate affixed a stamp
on the metal box, which stamp protected the drug at the barriers, no further document being
necessary on its being sent inland. No special fee was levied from the traders for the privilege
of being allowed to boil Opium.
There being no export of Boiled Opium from this port, and all import cargo paying
Duty at the port of shipment, the question of levying Duty on the Boiled drug lias not had to
be dealt with hitherto.
Native Opium is in use at this port. It arrives from Hankow in junks, and the varieties
imported are mainly from Szechwan （JJJ 土）and Yunnan （南 土）. The prices, Duty and Likin
paid, are at present:—
Szechwan Opium...........................Hk.Tts. 257.2.5.0
Yunnan ，”............................... ” 27240.0
On arrival, the drug has to pay HJc.Tts. 25 Duty and Hk.Tts. 18 Likin. It has not been
possible to ascertain what taxes are levied at the places of production or en route.
Chinese merchants here estimate the yearly production of Szechwan Opium at 40,000 piculs,
and of Yunnan Opium at 27,000 piculs.
Of other kinds of Opium, they are familiar with the production of Kweichow, 9,000 piculs;
Honan, 5,000 piculs; Hupeh, 3,000 piculs; Anhwei, 2,000 piculs; and Chekiang, 3,500 piculs;
but the produce of the poppy grown in Manchuria has not yet been brought to their notice.
100 catties of Szechwan Opium will boil into 60 catties, and would sell for Hk.Tts. 282 at
the present time.
I have, etc.,
C. LENOX SIMPSON,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


WUHU.
23
WUHU.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Wuhu.
No. 271. Custom House,
Wuhu, 26th May 1887.
Sir,
In reply to Circular:
Calling for Report 011 Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.:
I have the honour to submit the following replies to the various questions given. I wish,
however, to state in advance that—
i °. Malwa is practically the only Opium imported here;
20. There is no special trade here in Boiled Opium,—the Opium being only boiled
at home for home use, or in Opium-smoking establishments, where, however,
small quantities may be occasionally purchased by people who do not usually
or habitually smoke, and who do not therefore boil Opium in tlieir own
houses; and
3°. There is no open or recognised traffic at this port in Native Opium, so that
statistics on the subject are almost impossible.
For these reasons I regret to say my answers to most of the questions must necessarily
be only approximate, and, except perhaps for purposes of comparison, of less value than I could
wish.
i°.—The result of the boiling or preparing process on the various kinds of Opium is to
increase the value while decreasing the weight.
20.—ioo catties of Raw Patna will yield when boiled from 50 to 52 catties.
3°.—ioo catties of Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts. 430 to Hk.Tk. 440;
the same when boiled, and weigliing only 50 to 52 catties, would sell for about Hk.Tts. 465.
4°.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa will, on the average, boil into 70 catties.
5°.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 463 ; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 70 catties, would sell for about lik.Tts. 540.
6°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares will boil into 55 catties.
7°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for about Hk.Tts. 420；
boiled, and weigliing only 55 catties, the same would probably sell for Hk.Tts. 500.
8°.—ioo catties of Raw Persian will boil, it is said, into 75 catties.
9°—ioo cat ties of Raw Persian, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for about Hkfftii. 443;
boiled, and weighing only 75 catties, the same would probably sell for Hk.Tts. 463.


24
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Wuhu.
io°.—The local names for the various kinds of Opium are as follows:—
Malwa: Raw, Hsiao-tcu （小 土）； Boiled, Hsiao-t'u-kao （小 土 膏）.
Patna: Raw, Ta-t'u （大 土）or Kung-pan （公班）；Boiled, I'a-t'u-kao （大 土 膏）
or Kung-lcao （公 膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-chuang （喇庄）or Lcc-tlu （喇 土）； Boiled,*.
Persian or Turkey: Raw, Chin-hua-hung （金 花 紅）；Boiled,*.
ii°.—One diest of Patna contains 120 catties, or 1,920 Hang, invariably.
One chest of Malwa contains from 96 to 105 catties, according as the Opium is old or new;
the trade expect to find at least 1,652 Hang in each chest.
One ch.est of Eenares contains 120 catties, or 1,920 liang, invariably.
One cliest of Persian or Turkisli contains 100 catties, or less, usually.
120.—There is no trade practice at this port in regard to the tare of Opium; the custom
is to empty each chest and weigh the Opium itself for tlie buyer, and to charge on the net weight
so obtained.
130.—Our office has no arrangement as to tare; each chest is emptied on arrival in the
godown, and the actual weight of the Opium itself is ascertained.
14°.—To pass Patna chests as invariably containing 120 catties would suit both Customs
and merchants. To pass Malwa （and possibly all other cake varieties） as invariably containing
100 catties would meet the wishes of the merchants; but I would suggest tliat, so far as the
Customs is concerned, only such chests as are found to weigh from 96 catties to 105 catties net
should be passed as containing 100 catties. Chests weighing 106 catties or more net ought to
pay on the exact weight, and if this rule were adopted, chests weighing less than. 96 catties net
could also be allowed to pay on the exact weight. The adoption of some such rule would tend
to keep the weights of Malwa within tlieir present limit&
【5°.—If all the other ports could follow our rule of ascertaining the exact weight of
Opium contained in each chest （and now that we have our own godowns tlie task ought not to
be insurmountable）, the tare difficulty would not arise.
16°.—Opium is boiled here only for local use, and is never sent inland in its boiled state
for sale there.
170.—Boiled Opium is never exported hence either to Native or Foreign ports.
18°.—So far as can be ascertained, no tax used to be levied here on Boiled Opium under
the old Likin Collectorate.
190.—No fee is charged here for boiling privileges; all who like to do so can boil Opium.
200.—Boiled Opium having never appeared here, either as an import or an export, we
have no established practice as to the Duty leviable.
210.—Native Opium is in use here, but to what extent it is impossible to say, tlie dealers
in Foreign Opium being very reluctant to give any information on the subject, whether because
* Unknown here. The very little imported is only used in mixing with other kinds.


WUHU.
25
on general grounds they object to speak about a business which, as conducted here, is entirely
clandestine, or because they themselves have a special interest in it, is difficult to determine.
In 1880, 1881, and 1882 small quantities of Szechwan Opium were passed through this office,
but no legitimate importation has recently taken place. It is nevertheless supposed that some
400 or 500 piculs of Native Opium are consumed here annually, the bulk of which is used for
mixing with the Foreign article, Malwa or Patna. It is said to mix best with Patna.
220.一The greater part of the Native Opium consumed here comes from Szechwan, and
is called 川土・ It is only met with in small quantities, and is sold by retail at about 400 cash,
a liang, or, say, at the rate of Hlc.Tts. 400 per picul. Opium dealers give tlie nominal wholesale
price here at about Hk.Tts. 300 per picul. There is nothing approaching to open traffic in any
other kind, but a good deal of locally-grown Opium is brouglit here clandestinely in small
quantities at a time, principally from 廬州府，穎州府，and 鳳陽府，by the inhabitants of
those districts who come here on business or for temporary employment, and wliat is not used
by those people who bring it is either sold at Opium-smoking divans or at private houses, at
rates varying from HkTts. 150 per picul when new to Hk.Tts. 250 per picul wlien old. There
are no separate names for the various kinds of Anhwei Opium; it is all known as 本地土 or
新 土，and. the price of each kind is about the same.
230.—ioo catties of Native Opium, which lias no "skin" of any kind and is comparatively
pure, will produce from 75 to 90 catties of Boiled Opium. Native Boiled Opium, as such, is
never sold here; it is invariably mixed, mostly in Opium-smoking establishments, with the
Foreign kind, so that no price for Boiled Native Opium is obtainable.
240.—Formerly it was customary for Native Opium, when it paid taxes at all, to pay once,
in every prefectiire through which it passed, to offices under the control of the Provincial
Treasurer, half the Duty leviable on Foreign Opium. Such is said to have been the rule; what
the rule is now Opium merchants profess not to know. Native Opium, they say, is never declared
at barriers or Custom Houses in this district, and therefore it is impossible to state what taxes
it is subject to. My AVriter informs me, his authority being ail official in the Likin Office, that
in November 1885 tlie late Futai （吳 元炳）issued instructions to the Lildn officers to levy a
tax of Hk.Tts. 20 on each 100 catties of Native Opium, but that this rule, which has not been
withdrawn, has never been applied.
I have, etc”
T. F. HUGHES,
To Commissioner of Customs.
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Wuhu.
4


26
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chinkiang.
CHINKIANG.
No. 319. Custom House,
Chinkiang, 2nd June 1887.
In accordance with tlie instructions contained in your Circular No. 372 :
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
calling for Report on:
I have the honour to state as follows, in reply to the queries in the above Circular.
i°.一Opium boiled loses in weight; its value increases in proportion to the amount of
fuel, labour, etc., sjpent upon it during the process of preparation.
20.—ioo catties Raw Patna will produce 50 catties Boiled Patna.
3°.—ioo catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts. 390； the same
when boiled, and weighing only 50 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 423.50. （Note.—The expense
of boiling is estimated at Tts. 1 per ball, or Tts. 40 per chest of 40 balls.）
40.一ioo catties Raw Malwa will produce 65 caries Boiled Malwa. （Note.—This amount
is the out-turn of Raw Malwa unmixed. Malwa, when boiled, is, however, invariably mixed
with dross from other Opium; thus, 100 catties Raw Malwa is, as a rule, mixed with 70 catties
dross, leaving 75 per cent, after boiling, i.e., 127 catties.）
50.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for 450; boiled, and
weighing only 65 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 470.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 52 catties Boiled Benares.
70.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 375; boiled, and
weighing only 52 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 408.50. （Note.—The expenses of boiling
are estimated at Tts. 1 per ball, or Tts. 40 per chest of 40 balls.）
8°.—100 catties Raw Persian will boil into 65 catties.
90.—Persian Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for HJc.Tts. 385 per 100 catties; tlie
same when boiled, although weighing only 65 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 405.
io°.—The local names of each kind of Opium imported are as follow:—
Mahva: Raw, Hsiao-Vu （小 土）and Pai-p'i （白皮）；Boiled, Hsiao-tlu-yen-lcao
（小土烟膏）•
Patna: Raw, Ta-tlu （大 土）and Kung-pan （公班）；Boiled, Kung-lcao （公膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-t（u （喇 土）； Boiled, La-lcuvg-lcao （喇公膏）.
Persian: Raw, Chin-hua-hung （金花紅）；Boiled, Hsiao-tczb-kao （小 土 膏）.


CHINKIANG.
27
■The weight per chest of Opium varies as follows:— Old. Catties. Opium : Crude and Prepared, Chinkiang.
New. Catties.
Patna and Benares ... ...119 to 122 114 to 119
Malwa and Persian .... • • . 103 ” 105 97 ” 103
12°.—As regards tare allowed by the seller, the Opium is not sold here by chest, but by
lot from various chests and according to net weight. However, the seller generally makes an
allowance in weight to the buyer, but it is not a fixed rule, and the allowance varies with each
seller and with every transaction, according to the state of the market and the interests of
the seller; it therefore may be said that no fixed tare is allowed by the seller. The importers
are said to receive from the Shanghai seller an allowance of 3 catties, which is not mentioned
in the bill of sale; so that the seller here makes 3 per cent, in addition to the profit on the
sale to the Chinkiang buyer. It is quite impossible to know the truth about these Opium
transactions, the merchants being unwilling to speak. Moreover, there is 110 fixed practice, the
trade here being a retail trade for the interior, and each mercliant follows his own Avay.
13°.—No properly so-called tare is allowed by the Customs for Opium, except for Persian,
as all other Opium is weighed in its natural state. Persian is imported in chests weighing
from 103 to 107 catties when ' new, and containing from 190 to 200 big half-cakes, each
wrapped in paper; a tare of 2 catties per chest is allowed by the Customs for the wrapping-
paper, thus reducing the weight to the same as ordinary Malwa (vide paragraph 11°). Now the
practice of this port is to collect tax on 120 catties for a chest of Patna, and on 100 catties for a
chest of Malwa, as these weights are considered a fair average between new and old Opium, the
original weight in India being calculated to represent these weights in China. As per Bombay
memo, found in each chest of Malwa, ftrst sort of Malwa Opium contains 140 tb. net = 105
catties. Chests of old Malwa sometimes fall in weight from 105 down to 92 catties, but this is
very rare, and such falling may be due rather to the fact, which frequently happens, that cakes
withdrawn as samples at the port of £rst importation are not replaced in the same chest or
chests, thus creating an unusual difference in weight. It may be said that old Malwa varies in
weight fi'om 97 to 103 catties. New Malwa is usually imported during the cold season, up to
June, as being very soft, and old Malwa during tlie hot season.
For repacked Malwa Opium sent to tlie interior the following tares are allowed :一
For each four-cake parcel wrapped in double paper, with string round and a certain
amount of husk between tlie cakes, from 2 taels to 2.03 taels; and if with a
third paper-wrapper, from 2.06 taels to 3 taels.
For each three-cake parcel, packed as above, from 1.08 taels to 2 taels.
For each two-cake parcel, packed as above, from 1.02 taels to 1.05 taels.
Patna is sent in transit in its natural state.
140.—It will suit all parties to pass Patna chests as containing 120 catties, and Malwa and
Persian as containing 100 catties; but if the cliests are frequently found to contain more than
the usual maximum weight—say, Patna, 122 catties, and Malwa, 105 catties,—some steps would
have to be taken, as such excess might be the result of fraud.


28
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chinkiang.
15°.—I have no special remarks to offer respecting the tare on Opium at the time of
importation. As to the tare on repacked Malwa sent in transit, it should be calculated so as to
compensate, to the benefit of the owner, the average difference of weight between the real weight
of the Opium and the invariable weight accepted by the Customs at the time of importation.
16°.—Opium is mostly boiled for local consumption, and then sometimes mixed with.
Native Opium. Only a few dealers, reputed as experts in the boiling process, send some lots for
sale inland to places north of the river, as Yang-chou （揚州）and Yen-ch宅ng （鹽城），in this
province, and Shou-cliou （壽 州）and Liu-an （六 安），in tlie Anhwei province. Such Opium is
not mixed with tlie Native drug. It is called Ch'ing-kao （淸膏），and is packed in tins from
i to io Hang.
170.—No Boiled Opium is exported from tlie port,
18°—No taxes are levied, the goods having already paid Duty and Likin in their original
condition when imported.
190.—No fees are paid. Anyone is permitted to boil Opium without restriction. It was
proposed to require the Prepared Opium dealers to register and pay an annual license-fee,
according to their class, of Tts. 50, Tts. 30, and Tls. 10ï¼› but it was found impossible to give effect
to the arrangement, and it was abandoned.
20°.—I have no reply to give regarding the Duty leviable on Prepared Opium, as this
article lias been neither imported nor exported here since the opening of the port.
210.—Native Opium has been known here for some 10 years past. Its consumption is as
yet not so large as to materially affect the trade in the Foreign article. It is mostly used by
the lower classes of the people, and then mixed with the Foreign drug, more especially the
Malwa variety.
220.一There are four kinds of Native Opium in use at this port, three coming from outside
provinces, and one from Hsu-chou, in tliis province:—
Value per Picul.
Yunnan Opium, Yun-nan-t'u （雲南 土） .... Hk.Tts. 27牛50
Szechwan ” Ch'uan-tu （）l[ 土）.............. ” 322.58
Honan ；, Ho-nan-tlu （河南土）............... ” 245-77
Kiangsu ” （Hsu-chou）, Hsu-cliou-tu （徐 州 土） ” 3°7-22
The last-mentioned kind is also sold here under the name Tang-shan-tlu （碣 山 土），Tang-shan
being the name of a district in the Hsii-chou （徐 列D prefecture. Besides the above kinds, it has
happened that passengers from Shanghai have occasionally brought with them some drug
produced at T'ai-chou （台 列[）,in Chekiang. This kind does not come here in sufficient quantities
to be considered an item of trade.
The values given above include inland taxes, besides Likin paid at Chinkiang.
23°.—ioo catties Raw Opium, Native （Hsii-cliou）, will produce 70 catties Boiled.
100 catties Raw Opium, Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 307.22; boiled, and weighing only 70
ca忧ies, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 327.22.


CHINKIANG.
29
24°.—Tlie taxes paid on Opium produced in this province, the Hsii-chou (徐州)kind,
are as follows:—
(a.) At the place of production the usual land tax, 3 mace per mou, is paid to tlie
Magistrate for whatever fields are placed under the cultivation of the poppy.
The drug produced has thereupon to pay a Kcharity tax" of 1,000 cash
(Tts. 0.64) and registration fee to the Prefect of 500 cash (Tts. 0.32) per picul.
(b.) En route, at Huai-an-fu (淮安府)，the drug pays a full Duty of Tts. 8.50 and
a grain tribute tax of 3,500 cash (Tts. 2.24) per picul.
(c.) On arrival at Chinkiang a Lildn is charged of Tts. 43 per picul to the 下 游捐局
(Lower Yangtze Tax Office). This o伍ce, after the payment of the tax,
issues pass-books to the importers, who are allowed to remove tlieir goods
to tlieir own godowns and to receive labels and certificates after repacking
for transit elsewhere.
I have, etc., •
♦ t
A. NOVION,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Chinkiang.


30
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Shanghai.
SHANGHAI.
No. 700.
Custom House,
Shanghai, Sth June 1887.
Sir,
In accordance with the instructions contained in your Circular No. 372, Second
Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on:
I have the honour to append, seriatim, such information as I have been able to obtain in answer
to your queries.
i°.—The result of boiling or preparing any kind of Opium is a considerable loss in
weight, varying according to the consistency required for the Prepared drug, the quality of
the Opium boiled, and the skill of the boiler.
In boiling Malwa, Persian, and Turkish the loss is some 20 to 30 per cent.; in Patna
and Benares the loss amounts to 40 or 50 per cent., owing to the fact that these kinds contain
about 20 per cent, of husk. Each ball of Patna, weighing on the average 48 liang, is said to
contain only 39 liang of good Opium which can be boiled. This will produce about 25 liang
of good Prepared Opium, or 28 liang of tliinner consistency; the balance of 9 liang is the
husk which forms the outer covering of the ball.
The value of Boiled Opium is roughly stated to be some 10 per cent, higher than that
of the Raw Opium which produces it, but this statement is hardly more than a guess, for
although some of the persons to wliom I applied for information give the value of pure Boiled
Opium of various kinds, I am told, on reliable authority, that Foreign Opium is scarcely ever
boiled alone at this port, and that there is almost always a certain per-centage of ash, or of
Native Opium, or of both, mixed with it. It is even stated that Foreign Opium, if boiled alone,
could only be sold at a loss, because scarcely anyone uses it.
20.——ioo catties Raw Patna will produce between 50 and 60 catties of Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for about Hk.Tts. 387; the
same when boiled, and weighing only 55 catties, will sell for about Hk.Tts. 425.
4°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will boil into 60 to 70 catties.


SHANGHAI.
31
5°-—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 470; boiled, and
weighing only 70 catties, the same is worth about Hk.Tts. 500; but it is not generally considered
saleable when pure.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 50 to 55 catties.
7°.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 372; boiled, and
weighing 55 catties, the same is estimated to be wortli Hk.Tts. 410.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Persian and Turkisli Opium will boil into 60 to 70 catties.
9°.—Persian and Turkish Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 430 per
100 catties; boiled, and weighing only 60 catties, the same is estimated to be worth Hk.Tts. 460.
io°.—The local names for the different kinds of Opium are:—
Malwa: Raw, Hsiao-tcu （小 土）； Boiled, Hsiao-tcu-kao （小 土 膏）.
Patna: Raw, Ta-t（u （大 土）and Kung-pan （公班）；Boiled, Kung-kao （公膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-chong （喇庄）and Tct-tu （大 土）； Boiled, Ta-t'u-lcao （大 土 膏）.
Persian and Turkish: Raw, Chin-huo-tlu （金花 土）and Chin-huo-hung （金花紅）；
Boiled, Cliin-huo-lcao （金花膏）.
Boiled Opium is also subdivided, according to quality, as follows:—
Ch'ing-lcao （淸 膏）.：—Nominally pure Boiled Opium, but, as sold in the Opium
shops, invariably adulterated with a small quantity of ash.
Leng-hbng （冷 籠）.一After the first boiling is dissolved in cold water and again
strained, by which means a less quantity of dregs passes through the strainer
and a better quality of Prepared Opium is produced.
Yeli-lung （熱 籠）.一Strained with hot water after boiling, which allows more dregs
to pass through the strainer and results in an inferior quality of Prepared
Opium.
Sen-kao （陳 膏）.一Stale or old. Set aside for a year or more to ripen, like
old wine.
ii0.—The weight of Opium contained in one chest—
Of Patna is 120 catties.
” Malwa is 100 to 104 catties.
” Benares is 120 catties.
” Persian is 95 to 100 catties.
” Turkish is 95 to 100 catties.
120.—In the trade practice of this port the tare allowed by the seller—
On Patna is none.
” Malwa is 5 catties.
” Benares is none.
” Persian is 5 十 catties.
” Turkish is 5 + catties.
Opium：
Crude and
Prepared.
Shanghai.


32
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Shanghai.
13°.—In our office practice no tare is allowed. Patna and Benares are invariably taken
as weighing 120 catties, and Mahva, Persian, and Turkish as weighing 100 catties, whether they
actually weigh more or less, and Duty is charged on these weights.
14°.—While some firms seem willing that Patna and Benares should be passed as
invariably containing 120 catties, and that Malwa, Persian, and Benares should be passed at
100 catties, others, with some show of reason, argue that Patna and Benares should also be
passed as containing only 100 catties, on the ground that, in the first place, after allowing
for the husk which covers each ball of Patna and Benares, there remains somewhat less than
100 catties of Opium, and, secondly, that the Likin charged upon these two kinds, before the
1 st February, was Kcu-pling Tts. 80 per chest only, while now Hk.Tts. 80 is charged for 100 catties,
which is equivalent to a levy of Hk.Tts. 96 per chest. It is also suggested by several firms
that Persian and Turkish Opium should be passed as containing 95 catties per chest, as the
chest generally contains several catties short of the picul.
15°.—The present system of allowing no tare lias the advantage of simplicity; but the
objections raised by the merchants, mentioned in the above paragraph, are worthy of consideration,
should any change be contemplated.
16°.—Chinese Opium traders at this port boil Opium almost exclusively for local use.
It is, with very rare exceptions, mixed with ash the Native drug. Very little, if any, is
sent inland for sale, but it is supposed that small quantities may be smuggled by persons
travelling to and fro. Consumers of Opium in the interior are said to prefer buying Raw
Opium, whicli tliey can mix, in boiling, with the ash or residue of the Opium they have
already consumed.
17°.—A small quantity of Boiled Patna Opium is said to be smuggled to Corea, Japan,
and Vladivostock, in tins of 1, 3, and 5 taels' weight; but none is exported to Native ports, Treaty
or non-Treaty.
18°.—By a regulation of the 1st moon of the nth year of Kuang Hsu, Boiled Opium,
if sent into the interior, must show proof that Duty and Likin have been paid in its Raw
state, or it- must pay a tax of K'up'ing Tts. 80 for 1,000 Hang weight. The quantity of Boiled
Opium sent into the interior from this port is, however, so insignificant that the regulation lias
practically never been in force.
There lias been no tax upon Boiled Opium consumed at this port.
19°.—Boiling firms pay no fee for boiling privilege. All who like to boil can do so.
200.—Import or Export Duty, at the rate of Hlc.Tts. 60 per picul, has been levied
on Prepared Opium by this office, and such Boiled Opium could not be taken into the interior
under Transit Pass. If imported from a Native port under Export Certè¿…cate, half Duty at
the above rate was to be charged.
210.—Native Opium is in use at this port, mixed with Foreign Opium, chiefly Patna
and Benares.
220.一The Native Opium consumed at Shanghai is produced, for the most part, in
Szechwan, in the district of Tang-slian （暢 山）in Kiangsu, and in Honan.


SHANGHAI.
33
Szechwan Opium is known here as Cheuan-tcu （川 土），and is now worth about Hk.Tts. 300
to Hk.Tts. 320 per picul, Duty and Likin paid. The price is now high, owing to the failure
of the Honan crop last year. The price a year ago was as low as Hk.Tts. 230 to Hk.Tts. 240
per picul.
Kiangsu Opium is known here as Tang-shan-t（u （碼 山 土），and is worth about Hk.Tts. 260
per picul.
Honan Opium, which is brouglit to the Tang-shan market for sale, seems to be confused
with Tang-shan Opium, and to be sold under the same name and for the same price.
Chekiang Opium is also brought here, but in very small quantities: that known as
Hsiang-chiang （象 漿）comes from Hsiang-slian-hsien （象 山 縣），and that known as Tlai-tcu
（台 土）or T（ai-chiang （台漿）is produced in Tai-chou-fu （台州府）.It is said to be worth
about Hk.Tts. 220 per picul.
23°.—ioo catties Raw Szechwan Opium, valued at Hk.Tts. 300, will produce from 50 to 70
catties Boiled Opium, valued at Hk.Tts. 348.
100 catties Raw Tang-shan Opium, valued at Hk.Tts. 260, will produce from 45 to 50
catties Boiled Opium.
100 catties Raw Chekiang Opium, valued at Hk.Tts. 220, will produce from 40 to 45 catties
Boiled Opium.
Native Opium is never boiled alone, and no reliable estimate of its value can be obtained.
240.—Szechwan Opium is said to pay, at the place of production, about Kcupeing Tts. 12.50
per picul; on arrival at Ch'ung-ch'ing, a further sum of Keupcing Tts. 12.50ï¼› and at Sha-shih
（沙市），again Keupcing Tts. 12.50—the total amount of Likin estimated to be paid before the
drug reaches Hankow being about Kcupeing Tts. 37.50 per picul. The Customs Duties are
Hk.Tts. 22.50, and a further Likin of K（upcing Tts. 43 is levied at Shanghai by the Likin 0伍ce.
It is stated that considerable quantities of both this and other kinds of Native Opium evade
the payment of Likin en route.
Tang-slian and Honan Opium are estimated to have paid about Kcupcing Tfe. 70 of Likin
before reaching the hands of the consumers in Shanghai.
I have, etc.,
H. E. HOBSON,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Shanghai.
5


34
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Ningpo.
NINGPO.
No. 337- Custom House, Ningpo, 30th May 1887.
Sir, /
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Circular No. 372, Second Series:
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on:
and, in reply, to report as follows.
i°.—The boiling or preparing process does increase the value while it decreases the
weight of the various kinds of Opium.
20.—ioo catties Raw Patna will produce 53 catties Boiled Patna.
3°.—ioo catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts. 395 ; the same when
boiled, and weighing only 53 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 445.
4°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will boil into 70 catties.
5°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 470; boiled, and
weighing only 70 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 5 30.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 56 catties.
70.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 385; boiled, and
weighing only 56 catties, the same will sell for Hk.TtS. 435.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Persian will boil into 70 catties.
90.—Persian Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 410 per 100 catties; the
same when boiled, although weighing only 70 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 460.
io°.—The local names （Chinese characters and local pronunciation） are for—
Malwa: Raw, Siao-tcu （小 土）； Boiled, Siao-tcu-lcao （小 土 膏）.
Patna: Raw, Do-Vu （大 土）or Kong-pan （公班）；Boiled, Do-t'u-kong-kao （夭 土
貢膏）.
Benares: Raw, Do-恤（天 土）or Nan-pan （喇班）；Boiled, Do-tcu-kong-kao （大 土
貢膏）.
Persian: Raw, Kyivg-hwo （金花）or Ong-nyuoh （紅肉）；Boiled, Kying-hzv6-kao
（金花膏）.°
No Turkish imported here.


NINGPO.
35
n°.—One cliest Patna usually* contains 120 catties; one chest Malwa, 104 catties; one
chest Benares, 120 catties; one chest Persian, 100 catties.
120.—In port practice seller allows :—
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Ningpo.
Patna................5 taels, per 3 catties' ball, tare for husk.
Malwa.................No tare.
Benares..............4 taels, per 3 catties' ball, tare for husk.
Persian...............No tare.
13°.—In this office Customs allow no tare for Patna, Malwa, Benares, or Persian.
140.—It will suit all parties except Customs to pass Patna chests as invariably containing
120 cat ties, and Malwa （and all other cake varieties） as invariably containing 100 catties.
15°.—I have no remarks, explanations, or suggestions to offer respecting the tare actually
allowed or proper to be allowed.
16°.—The Chinese Opium traders at this port boil Opium only for local use; they do not
send it inland for sale. Prepared Opium is usually mixed with Native Opium.
170.—Our boiling firms do not export Boiled Opium anywhere.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate practice in this neighbourhood has been not to concern
itself with Boiled Opium, and, as far as known, no tax has been levied on it at the port or
travelling inland.
190.—Boiling firms pay no fee for boiling privilege; all who like to do so may boil.
200.—The Customs practice at this port has been to levy Duty on Boiled Opium
ad valorem, until receipt of your Circular No. 366, Second Series, on the 25 th April: since then
Duty and Likin, at the rate of Hkffts. 37.50 and Hk.Tts. 100, have been levied on Boiled Opium
arriving; none on Boiled Opium departing.
210.—Native Opium is in use at this port,—as a rule mixed with Foreign, especially Malwa,
Opium.
220.—Such Native Opium is produced at T£ai-cliou （台艸），Hsiang-shan （象山）,
Yii-yao （餘 姚），and Yin-hsien 僅0 縣）.The Chinese names and local name are respectively the
same, with the character chiang （漿）added. The value per picul of each variety is:—
New. Old.
Hlc.TtB. Hk.Tts.
T'ai-chou .164 211
Hsiang-slian • 巧6 200
Yii-yao •巧6 200
Yin-hsien . 164 211
23°.—A picul of Raw Opium, Native, boiled will produce 55 catties. The prices of the
100 catties Raw are Hk.Tts. 160 （new） to Hk.Tts. 205.50 （old）, and of the 55 catties Boiled,
Hk.Tts. 195 to Hk.Tts. 245 respectively.
At times more; very seldom or hardly ever less.


36
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Ningpo.
24°.—Native Opium, up to the 1st day of the 4th moon of this year, had to pay $12 per
picul at the place of production; since that date (23rd of last month) the rate has been raised
to S24,—also payable at the place of production, after which no more need be paid en route
and at this port; such payments are made to the Fantai5s office.
I have, etc”
F. KLEINWACHTER,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


WENCHOW.
37
Opium : Crude and Prepared.
WENCHOW. Wenchow ・
No. 251.
Sir,
Custom House,
Wenchow, 2nd June 1887.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 27th ultimo, of Circular
No. 372, Second Series:
Boiled Opium, value of; and Raw Opium, weight of various kinds of:
Report called for:
and beg to submit the following replies to the queries therein contained.
i°.—The result of the boiling or preparing process on the various kinds of Opium tends
in each case to decrease the weight and increase the price.
2° to 9°.
Kind of Opium.
Patna ..
Malwa.
Benares
Persian.
Turkish
Weight of Raw. Value （Duty and Likin paid）・ Weight Boiled. Value.
Catties. Hlc.Tts. Catties. JSk •血
100 412 ） （50 447
100 431 > will produce ）70 478
100 412 ） I 5。 447
Not im ported. — —
io°.—The local names of the various kinds of Opium, Raw and Boiled, are:一
Malwa: Raw, Hsiao-恤（小 土） ； Boiled, Hsiao-t'u-kao-tzU （小 土 膏 子）.
Patna: Raw, Tci-tlu （大 土） ； Boiled, Ta-tu-kao-tzto （大 土 膏子）.
Benares: Raw, Ting-pan （頂班）；Boiled, Ting-pan-kao-tzU （頂班膏子）.
Persian: Raw, Jih-la （日蜡）；Boiled, Jih-la-kao-tzU （Q 蜡膏子）.
Turkish: Raw and Boiled, unknown.


38
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Wenchow.
ii°.—One chest of Patna invariably contains 120 catties ； one chest of Mahva, 100 catties;
and one chest of Benares, 120 cat ties. (Persian and Turkish are not imported.) All three kinds
lose slightly in weight with age.
120.一Tare allowed by seller in port trade practice:—
Kind of Opium. Gross Weight of Chest. Tare allowed by Seller. Net Weight of Opiu ui・
Catties. Catties. Catties.
Patna 205 to 208 85 to 88 117 to 123
Malwa.... 185 ” 190 85 ” 9。 99 ” IOI
Benares ・・ 205 ” 208 85 „ 88 117 ”123
While these tares are nominally allowed, the Opium is, as a rule, weighed net by the seller.
130.一The same practice is followed by the office as by the seller in determining the
Customs tare; and a chest of Patna or Benares is charged Duty as containing 120 catties of
Opium, and a chest of Malwa as containing 100 catties, but are always verified by weighing the
Opium net.
140.—Merchants here would have no objection to chests of Patna Opium being passed as
invariably containing 120 catties, and Malwa as invariably containing 100 catties.
150.一Seeing that chests of new Patna generally contain a catty or two over the 120,
while chests of old Patna generally contain a catty or two under, it would seem a fair medium
to take all chests at 120 catties net, and to tare accordingly. The import of Opium here consists
chiefly of Patna.
16°.—Opium is boiled for local consumption only, and is mixed largely with the Native
drug before being smoked, with the effect of cheapening it. No Boiled Opium, either pure or
mixed, is, so far as can be ascertained, sent inland.
17°.—No Boiled Opium, either pure or mixed, is exported from AVencliow.
18°.—For some time previous to the 13th. June 1885, Hk.Tts. 34 Likin were collected
by the authorities on each chest of Opium as imported, irrespective of kind; from thç ’ date
until the 1st February of this year, Hk.Tk. 86 were collected, per chest. No tax has been levied
on Boiled Opium consumed at the port, and none is sent inland.
190.—Any firm may boil Opium; there is no fee for boiling privilege.
20°.—No Boiled Opium has ever been imported or exported here within the cognizance
of this office.
210.一Of the total number of Opium-smokers in Wenchow, it is roughly estimated that
about 80 per cent, smoke pure Native Opium, that about 15 per cent, smoke mixed Native and
Foreign (chiefly Patna), and that but 5 per cent, can afford to smoke the pure Foreign drug.
220.—There is but one variety of Native Opium, called Chiang-yen (漿煙)，produced
extensively in the neighbourhood,一calculated by Mr. Mackey in 1879 to be 3,000 piculs for the
prefecture of Wenchow; now probably more.


WENCHOW.
39
The chief places of production are Jui-an-lisien （瑞 安 縣）and P（ing-yang-hsien （平 陽縣）,
in the south, Yo-clilng-hsien （樂 淸縣），to the north-east, together with the home district,
Yung-cliia-hsien （永嘉縣）.
A picul of Chiang-yen （漿煙）is sold here to-day for Hk.Tts. 130.
23°.—ioo catties of Raw Opium, Native, will produce 60 catties Boiled Opium, Native.
100 catties Raw Opium, Native, are sold for 130ï¼› the same when boiled, and
weighing only 60 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 190.
240.—Taxes on Native Opium:—
（a.） At place of production.—A grower of Opium does not pay any tax for the
privilege of growing Opium; he simply pays the ordinary tax （錢 粮）for the
land, and he cultivates what suits him best.
（b.） En route.一For two years previous to the 23rd April of this year （Kuang Hsti,
13th year, 4th moon, 1st day） a fee of 12 dollar cents per catty of Native
Opium was charged by the authorities for a permit （捐 票）to convey any
quantity exceeding 4 catties from district （縣）to district, each district
collecting its own fees. Since that date, however, the fee lias been doubled
to 24 dollar cents a catty, and is charged on all quantities exceeding
1 catty.
（c.） At Wenchoiv.—This tax is collected here by the Likin Tsungpan on all Native
Opium arriving at the city from the Yung-chia or home district, and by
him is transmitted in the ordinary way to the Fant'ai at Hangchow.
Opium covered by permits issued in other districts pays no other tax on
arrival here.
There are only five Opium-importing firms in the port—three Fuhkien, one Ningpo, and
one local,—and they depend on Shanghai and Ningpo for tlieir supply. In 1886, 24 piculs of
Patna and 1 picul of Malwa were imported by steamer, and up to date this year one diest of
Patna was imported in January and two chests last month.
I have, etc”
JAS. R. BRAZIER,
Assistant-in-Chcirge.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Wenchow.


40
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Foochow.
FOOCHOW.
No. 471.
Custom House,
I.G.
Foochow, 25th May 1887.
Sir,
I have the honour to forward the Report called for by the terms of Circular No. 372,
Second Series, embodying replies to the queries set forth therein.
i°.—The result of the boiling process on the various kinds of Opium is to increase the
value while it decreases the weight.
2°—ioo catties Raw Patna will produce 50 catties Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for 397; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 50 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 534 （retail）.
4°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will boil into 75 catties.
5°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 462; boiled, and
weighing only 75 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 635 （retail）.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 50 catties.
70.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 375; boiled, and
weighing only 50 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 534 （retail）.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Persian and Turkish will boil into 75 and 80 catties respectively.
90.—Persian and Turkish Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hlc.Tts. 406 and
Hk.Tts. 419 respectively per 100 catties; the same when boiled, although weighing only 75
and 80 catties, will sell for HJc.Tts. 724 and Hk.Tts. 757 respectively.
It may not be out of place to note here that the title of " Turkish " Opium is incorrect,
and " Turkey" misleading. All so-called Opium is but the small cake " Tour kee " variety of
Persian, numbering up to as many as 300 cakes in a chest, while the Persian has but some
100 cakes.
io°.—The local names for the following descriptions are:—
Mahva: Raw, Pa-poi （白 皮）；Boiled, Hsiu-tu-Jco （小 土 膏）.
Patna: Raw, Kung-tu 土） ； Boiled, Ta-tu-ko （大 土 膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-tib （喇 土）； Boiled, Ta-tu-lco （大 土 膏）.
Persian: Raw, Hsin-san （新山）;Boiled, ffsiu-tu-ko （小 土 膏）.
Turkish: Raw, Pao-tsai-hsin-san （包紙新山）；Boiled, Hsiu-tu-Jco （小 土 膏）.


FOOCHOW.
41
ii°.—A chest of Patna usually—that is, on an average—contains 120 catties; in the
same way a chest—
Of Malwa contains 104 catties.
” Benares ” 120 ”
” Persian ” 104 , ”
” Turkish ” 104 ”
12°.—The trade practice is for the seller—that is, the importer—to allow the Native
dealer—
On Patna..........................16 to 20 liang per chest.
” Malwa............................. i| catties ”
” Benares........................16 10 20 liang ”
” Persian........................... 1^ catties ”
” Turkish........................... ij „ ”
】3°.—Our present o伍ce practice is not to allow any tare except either 2 or 3 catties for
the paper envelopes of Turkish or Persian Opium, according as the number of cakes in the chest
is more or less than 250.
14°.—It would suit all parties except the Chinese Revenue Department to pass Patna
chests as invariably containing 120 catties, and Malwa (and all other cake varieties) as invariably
containing 100 catties.
The average weight, ascertained after three months5 experience at this port, weighing
every chest, gives Patna 120 catties, and the cake varieties 104 catties, so that if this average
were maintained throughout the year, which, however, is doubtful, it would mean a loss to the
revenue, by the adoption of the fixed weights mentioned, of some Hk.Tts. 11,000 in a year, taking
an estimate of 2,500 piculs of the cake varieties imported.
Taking into consideration the questions of tare and samples, which would be solved and
settled by the adoption of a fixed weight, I would suggest that such should be adopted, viz.,
102 catties for the cake varieties, subject to the condition that the Customs retain the right to
weigh and charge duty on the precise weights of any chests over 105 catties net.
For the Bengal Opium I would suggest a fixed weight of 120 catties.
I may mention that the above terms have been accepted by the trade here, and that I
have adopted these weights pending further instructions on the subject.
By this course a considerable saving can be effected in the services of o伍cers whose duty
consists in weighing Opium coming in and going out, and watching the proceedings of importers
while the chests are open, as they are in one or other, or all, of the compartments of the godown
nearly all day long, in the various processes of inspecting, weighing, sampling, etc., connected
with the sale of the drug.
15°.—At present no tare has been allowed nor asked for on ball Opium, although each
ball is enveloped in a husk of considerable thickness, weighing on an average 寺 catty, or 20
catties on the chest of 40 balls. Merchants have, so far, paid on this 20 catties of husk at
Opium:
Crude and
Prepared.
Foochow.
6


42
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Foochow.
the same rate as Opium, although the husk is quite distinct from the Opium, and can be
removed, and is sold at the rate of about Hk.Tts. 30 per picul. I have been unable to obtain
any explanation of so extraordinary a condition of afiairs, nor has it appeared to me of importance
in the interests of the revenue that I should do so, looking to the possible movement such
inquiries might suggest.
The importers recently have granted the dealers an allowance on the Customs weights
of from 16 to 20 liang, the precise amount not being ascertainable; but this would appear
to be rather a trade allowance than a tare,—one whicli lias been adopted in the course of the
keener competition the new system seems to have, excited or developed in the trade, the origin
of which may be the bringing all the buyers of Opium to one emporium, the Customs Bonded
Godown, where it is easier to run one importer's prices against those of another than under
the old conditions, seeing that the goods of the different owners lie only separated by a board
partition, instead of, as formerly, by some streets, and in one case, that of the principal Opium
importer, by tlie width of the river.
If fixed weights are not adopted, I can see no other tare but 20 catties per chest as
reasonable on Bengal Opium, but it would be in the higliest degree unreasonable to consider
such a tare until asked for; till then, none need be given.
In regard to cake Opium, there has been a claim put in on the part of importers for a
tare of 14 Hang per cliest for dross, that is, for all such substance (broken husk or leaves)
as adheres to the cakes after a certain amount of brushing them has removed as much as
it is safe to do, without fear of taking some of the drug itself with the dross to be removed.
The importers allow to the dealers a tare of i| catties (24 liang) per cliest on the Customs
weight. I think that, under all the circumstances, if fixed weights are not adopted for the
cake varieties, the tare of 14 Hang asked for might be granted on Malwa, and 2 catties on
Persian and Turkish, the greater portion of which comes enveloped in thick paper—each cake,
of which, there are between 200 and 300,—the rest in an oily, greasy condition, without wrapper.
16°.—The Chinese Opium traders at this port only boil Opium for local use, and do not
send it inland for sale.
17°.——The boiling firms do not export Boiled Opium.
18°.—The practice of the old Likin Collec to rate lias been not to levy any tax on Boiled
Opium. An attempt was made some time ago to do so, but was successfully resisted by the
traders in the drug.
19°.—Boiling firms do not pay any fee for boiling privileges; all who like may boil.
Though the Opium shopkeepers pay no fee for the boiling privilege, they have to report their
names to the Pao-chia-chu (保甲局), and give bonds for their good behaviour and that of
the persons using their establishment.
200.—There is no record in this 0伍ce of Boiled Opium ever being imported or exported.
2i°.—Native Opium is in use at this port, but only to a very limited extent;, such, as
not to affect the trade in the Foreign drug at all. For the small extent referred to it is used
mixed with Malwa, of which the consumption at this port is very limited, nearly the whole
of the quantity imported being sent into the interior.


FOOCHOW.
43
22°.—Native Opium is said to be produced and brought here in small quantities from
Wenchow （温州）and T，ai-chou （台州），in the adjoining province of Chekiang （浙江）；and
in this province, from Fu-an （福安），Ning-te （甯徳），and Fu-tcing （福鼎），in the Fu-ning
prefecture ; Cheng-ho （政 和）and Pu-ch'eng （浦 城），in the Chien-ning prefecture; and Ku-tlen
（古 田）and Yung-fu （永福），in this, the Foochow, prefecture.
Native Opium is described here as Tlu-chiang （土 漿），and in the Fuhkien dialect is
called Tu-chiong: the value is about S500 per picul, say, Hk.Tts. 325.
23°.—A picul of Raw Native Opium will produce of Boiled 80 catties; the price of the
100 catties Raw is about Hk.Tts. 325, and Boiled, Hk.Tts. unknown.
240.—Native Opium is not known to be liable to pay （a.） any tax at the place of
production, though it should pay （6.） a Likin tax en route of Tts. 42 per picul, collectible
by the Opium Likin Office （華 稅 局），and it lias nothing more to pay （c.） at this port on arrival,
provided it lias paid en route.
I append a table showing liow the particulars relating to prices, etc., of the different
descriptions of Opium have been arrived at,—in connexion with which it may be well to draw
special attention to the fact that the cost of 100 catties of each description given is the wholesale
cost of such a quantity; whereas the cost of the Boiled produce of those 100 catties is based
upon a calculation of how much that produce costs the 100 or more consumers amongst whom
it is divided in the retail trade, a calculation, therefore, which includes the profit of the dealer
who sells it to tlie shopkeeper and the shopkeeper's retail profit after boiling the Opium, adding
dross and finally doling out the product in small quantities.
In regard to Native Opium, nothing but an estimated cost of a picul of Raw, if there
were a such, quantity to be met with, is given, calculated on the price per 3-catty packages,
which, again, are rather talked of than known by being met with in trade here, as the shops
do not know sucli an article, except by name.
I have, etc”
C. HANNEN,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Foochow.


44
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium':
Crude and
Prepared.
Foochow.
ENCLOSURE.
Cost of the different Descriptions of Opium, Raw and Boiled.
Opium ・ f Raw. Boiled ・ Cost of 100 Catties Raw. Duty and Likin. Total Cost of 100 Catties Raw. Dross added. Net of 100 Catties after being boiled, etc., about. Cost of Boiled per Catty・ Will sell, about.
Beuares Patna Catties. 100 100 100 100 100 100 Catties. 5。 5。 75 75 80 80 $ 407.60 442 542 455 475 500 EJc.'Hs. 265 287 352 296 309 325 Hk乐. I no] 丿 X. 42 JBJc.Tts. 375 397 462 406 419 367 Catties. 20 20 3i 37 37 Catties. 70 70 106 112 117 Cash. Hk •血 13,600=7.6.3.6 13,600=7.6.3.6 11,520=6.牛 6.8 11,520=6.4.6.8 11,520=6.牛 6.8 Hk.Tts. 534 534 685 724 757
Malwa
Persian Turkish Native........

Note.—Cost of dross, $5 to $6 per catty ; cost of boiling, about §i for every 3 catties.


TAMSUI. 45
TAMSU I. Opium : Crude and Prepared・
No. 279. I.G. Sir, Custom House, Tamsui, 28th May 1887. Tamsui.
I have the honour to submit the Report on the weights, values, etc., of Opium,
Boiled and Raw, called for by your Circular No. 372, Second Series.
On receipt of your Circular I sent Mr. Mencarini and Mr. Chew Leong Hoe, Chinese
Cleric, to Twatutia, to call on some of the principal Opium dealers and collect information.
They visited (i°) the Parsee firm of Ollia & Co”(2°) a Chinese wholesale Opium dealer,
(3°) an Opium boiler, and (40) the comprador of the firm of Malcampo & Co.; and it is mainly
from the answers which they collected that the present Report is drawn up.
i° to 90.—It will be seen from what follows that tlie process of boiling undoubtedly
increases the value while decreasing the weight of all kinds of Opium. The loss in weight by
boiling may be 20 per cent., 25 per cent., or 50 per cent., according to the kind of Opium, but
the value of the 100 catties is always appreciably greater after boiling than before. The answers
to the questions numbered 20 to 9° in the Circular will be best presented in tabular form:—
Kind of Opium. 100 Catties Raw will pro duce when Boiled 100 Catties Raw, Duty and Likin paid, is sold for Quantity of Boiled obtained from 100 Catties Raw is sold for Weight lost in Boiling. Value gained in Boiling.
Patna [ Malwa j Benares Catties. No m 52 75 82 Hk •血. arket. 376 428 435 Hk.Th 396 454 461 Per Cent. 48 25 18 Per Cent. 5tu 6 6
Persian
Turkish

These figures strike somewhere near the mean of the various estimates collected. The
quantity produced by boiling a given weight of Opium varies with the quality of the drug and
the skill of the boiler. Thus, for Benares the figures obtained range from 49 to 60 per cent.;
for Persian, from 72 to 79 per cent.; and for Turkish, from 80 to 85 per cent. The prices of
the Raw drug also, naturally, vary with its quality; they range as follows:—
Benares..................Tts. 370 to Tts. 402 per 100 catties.
Persian..................... 389 ” ” 454 ” ”
Turkish..................... 428 ” ” 461 ” ”
and the value of the 100 catties Raw, when boiled down, changes proportionately.


46
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :'
Crude and
Prepared.
Tamsui.
io°.—The local names for the various kinds of Opium are:—
llahva: Raw, Iu-kim （油金），Iu-sup （油霎），Be-toe （馬蹄），and Lao-san-sid-t'o
（老 山 小 ±） ； Boiled, Sid-Mco （小 土 膏）.
Patna: Raw, Kong-t'o （公 土） ； Boiled, Toa-t'o-ko （大 土 膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-tco （勝 土） ； Boiled, Toa-t'o-ko （大 土 膏）.
Persian: Raw, Peh-p^ （白皮）；Boiled, Si6-tco-ko （小 土 膏）.
Turkish: Raw, Kim-hoe （金 花）；Boiled, Sid-tlo-ko （小 土 膏）.
ii°.—A chest of Benares contains from 112 to 116 catties of Opium; the average is
about 114$ catties. The Opium in a chest of Turkish ranges from 99 to 110 catties, and
averages about io6| catties, deduction being made of 1 寺 catties per chest for the paper and
thread which wrap the balls. Persian is not imported in sufficient quantity to enable us to
judge of its average weight; the Examiner would put it down as 102 to 105 catties per chest.
Malwa and Patna are not imported now at all.
12°.—In the retail trade at this port it seems to be customary to allow the purchaser
of Benares a tare of 11 taels on each ball, and of Turkish （and Persian when done up in paper）
a tare of 1 per cent. No tare is allowed by wholesale dealers, I am told.
130.—It is not the practice of this office to allow a fixed tare on Opium except for the
paper and string in which one or two varieties are wrapped. All Opium is weighed net, and
while in the case of Turkish Opium, and sometimes in the case of Persian, an allowance of
i| catties a chest is made for paper and string, no allowance is made for the out side leaf on
a ball of Benares or Patna.
14°.—Tlie Opium dealers whom blr. Mencarini questioned were favourable to the idea
of treating all Patna and Benares chests as invariably containing 120 catties, and all chests
of Malwa, etc., as invariably containing 100 catties. From the Customs point of view it does
not seem advisable to make such a rule. It is true that while losing on Malwa and similar
varieties, which average over 100 catties a chest, we should gain on Patna and Benares, which
average less than 120 catties to the chest, provided that the weights of the respective chests
remained the same; but a temptation would at once be offered to importers to put themselves
on the right side by increasing the weight of chests of all varieties. Mr. Examiner Newbury
tells me that nothing of the kind occurred formerly when Duty was collected on uniform
weights at certain ports. It seems, however, too obvious a means of increasing profits to
be long neglected.
15°.—The tare of ij per cent, which, as I have said, we allow for Opium wrapped in paper
is regarded as reasonable, and it would seem only fair to make some allowance for the wrapper,
composed apparently of poppy leaf, which, contains the Benares and Patna drug. But here a
difficulty comes in, as there is no part of the wrapper wliicll is not more or less saturated with
Opium, and if allowance were made for any part of the dross in a ball of Benares, it would,
logically, have to be made for the whole 50 per cent, which remains after boiling. As I have
said, it is our practice to take the Opium out of every chest and weigh it apart from the case
and the packing, for which, therefore, we make no fixed allowance. I find, however, that the
average weight of tare—case and packing material—in a chest of Benares is 117 catties, and in
a chest of Turkish, 32* catties.


TAMSUL
47
16°.—A certain, not very large, quantity of Boiled Opium is sent from boiling-sliops
in Twatutia and Banka into tlie interior of the island. It is packed in small earthen jars,
containing i tael, 2 taels, or 4 taels apiece, and is not, as a rule, mixed with Native Opium.
17°-—The boiling firms of Tamsui do not export Boiled Opium.
18°.—There lias been, and is, no tax levied here on Boiled Opium consumed at the port
or travelling inland.
19°.—No fee is paid for the privilege of boiling. All may boil, and as a matter of fact
many private persons think it economical to buy tlieir Opium in the raw state and boil it
for themselves.
200.—No Boiled Opium is either imported or exported by steamer at this port, and
therefore there is no practice in regard to the levy of Duty on that article.
2i°.—A small quantity of Native Opium arrives by junk. The importations by steamer
are hardly worth noting. This Opium, I am told, is mixed with Turkey and Persian.
220.—The Native Opium which, arrives here is, for the most part, Wenchow Opium, and,
according to the dealers, is worth from Hk.Tts. 130 to Hk.Tts. 143 per 100 catties. Mr. Li
T'UNG-金N, one of the Haikwans, informs me that the late farmer of Opium Likin distinguished
three classes of Native Opium, two of which were from AVencliow, and were named respectively
Cheng-chiang (正漿)and Tseai-chiang (彩漿)，while the third was Yunnan Opium. Probably
this latter kind, if imported at all, would be worth more than the Wenchow drug.
230.—The quantity obtainable by boiling from 100 catties of Raw Wenchow (value
Hkffts. 130 to Hk.Tts. 143) is variously stated as 40 to 70 catties, which, it is said, sells for
Hk.Tts. 143 to HJc.Tts. 175.
240.—It is supposed that the Native Opium arriving here is nearly all smuggled.
Nothing is known in Tamsui with regard to the taxes it pays at tlie place of production or
en route. On the rare occasions on which it has passed through this Custom House it has paid
a full Duty at the port of export and a Coast Trade Duty here at tlie Tariff rate for Foreign
Opium, making a total of Tfe. 45 per picul, in addition to Likin. As to Likin, Mr. Li T'ung-en
informs me that there is no regulation, but that it was the practice of the late Opium farmer to
levy a different rate on each of tlie three kinds enumerated above. The kind called Ch^ng-chiang
was charged 50 per cent, of the amount levied on Foreign small-cake Opium; Tseai-chiang, a
much inferior kind, paid 30 per cent.; while the Yunnan kind was considered good enough, to
pay 70 per cent, of the Foreign Opium rate. The rate levied on Foreign small-cake Opium
was local Tts. 100 ( = Hlc.Tts. 90.2.&o) per chest of 106 catties.
I have, etc.,
J. L. CHALMERS,
To Assistant-in-Charge.
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs.
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Tamsui.


48
Opium : Crude and Prepared. Takow. T A K O W.
No. 288. . Custom House,
Anping, isi June 1887.
Sir,
In reply to Circular No. 372 :
Opmin, Boiled: Report on, called for:
I beg to report as follows.
i°.—When boiled the two kinds of Opium imported here show a slight increase of value
and a decrease of weight.
20 to 50.—Neither Patna nor Malwa is imported.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares produces 55 to 56 catties Prepared.
7°.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 425.45 （at 152.78） =
$650*; boiled, and weighing only 55 to 56 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 451.63 （at 152.78）
= $690十. The difference in the weight of the dollars when buying the Crude drug and when
selling the Prepared reduces the difference so much that while 100 catties Crude Benares are
valued at $650, the produced 55 to 56 catties Prepared Opium are only worth about the same.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Persian will boil into 81 catties Prepared.
9°.—Persian （which formerly was frequently styled Turkish）, Duty and Likin paid, sells
for Hk.Tts. 418.91 （at 152.78） = $640采 per 100 catties; the same when boiled, although weighing
only 81 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 464.72 （at 152.78） = $710十.
io°.—The local names and pronunciation of the different kinds of Opium are as follows:—
Malwa: Raw, Pei-p（oui （白皮）；Boiled, Pei-pcoui-hun （白皮煙）.
Patna: Raw, Kong-a-pien-tco （公鴉片 土） ； Boiled, A-pien-hun-Jco （鴉片烟膏）.
Benares: Raw, La-a-pien-t（o （叶鴉片 土）and Ku-a-pien-t'o （姑鴉片 土）；
Boiled, La-a-pien-hun-ko （叶鴉片烟膏）and Ku-a-pien-hun-ko （姑鴉片
烟膏）.
Persian: Raw, Sio-tco （小 土）； Boiled, Sio-t'o-hun （小 土 煙）.
Turkish: Raw, Kim-hui （金花）.
11°.—Patna, Malwa, and Turkish are not imported. The net weight of one diest of
Benares varies between 112^ and ii8| catties, and of Persian between 95 and io8| catties.
120.—The port trade practicc here is that sales are made on Customs net weight.
130.一This office allows on each chest of Persian （the contents of which are wrapped in
paper） 2 catties tare, and no tare on Persian, oily （packed in husks）, or Benares （clean balls）.
Patna, Malwa, and Turkish are not imported.
140.—Patna not having been imported for a number of years past, no information has
been obtained.
* Each dollar weighing 7 mace 3 candareens.
十 ” ” ” 6 ” S ”


TAKOW.
49
As regards Benares ancl Persian, it is not at all probable that it will suit all parties, owing
to variation of weights.
15°.—Everybody seems to be satisfied with the present system of taring, i.e., opening
the chests and weighing the balls or cakes.
16°.—The principal Chinese Opium traders do not boil, but sell the Raw drug in quantities
of not less than half a chest to retail dealers, who do the boiling for local consumption and
transact business with the interior chiefly, of which the four principal places are:一Pitou （啤 頭）
and Tongkong （東港），near Takow; and Kayi （嘉義）and Lokong （鹿港），near Taiwan-fu.
Of the small amount of Prepared Opium, two-thirds is adulterated with sesamum seed cake.
It is sent inland in any kind of packages.
17°.—No export of Boiled Opium exists.
18°.—No tax has been levied.
190.—No tax is levied on Prepared Opium, nor is, at present, a fee collected for boiling
privilege. Seven or eight years ago a fee, amounting to over $20, did exist. All who like
may boil.
200.—Boiled Opium is neither exported nor imported.
210.—Yes, but in very small quantities; pure, not mixed with Foreign drug.
220.—Wenchow, in the province of Chekiang. Its Chinese name is Tcai-ckiang （台 漿），
local name Chi-moa-ko （芝蘇膏）；but in speaking of Native Opium and sesamum seed cake
little or no distinction is apparently made. Its value is put down at $256* per picul.
The only Native Opium which comes to South Formosa—none being grown here—reaches
this island by junks, and is landed in non-Treaty ports. It comes from and is produced at
Wenchow, and is said to be a petty, clandestine trade carried on by the junk people. Even
now, the import having somewhat increased since the Opium Likin stations were closed, not
more than 10 piculs a month are supposed to be brought over here. Its quality is very inferior.
It is mainly used by the country-people, and little is known about it in Tahvan-fu. It bears
the name of the place of production.
230 and 240.—Unable to ascertain.
For the above information I am mainly indebted to Mr. von Fries.
I have, etc.,
A. LAY,
To Assistant-in-Charge.
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Takow.
Each dollar weighing 6 mace 8 candareens.


50
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Amoy.
AMOY.
No. 470.
LG.
Sir,
Custom House,
Amoy, 31st May 1887.
In continuation of my previous despatches, Amoy Nos. 403, 404, 418, 419, 424, 435,
and 455 of 1887, concerning:
New Opium arrangements:
I have the honour to submit my replies, seriatim, to the queries contained in your Circular
No. 372 of the 28th ultimo.
i°.—The boiling or preparing process on all kinds of Opium always increases the value
and decreases the weight.
20.—ioo catties of Raw Patna will produce 54 catties of Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties of Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 400; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 54 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 460.
40.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa will boil into 74 catties.
50.—ioo catties of Raw Malwa (old), Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hlc.Tts. 490； and
the same when boiled, and weighing 74 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 570. 100 catties of Raw
Malwa (new), Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 465; and the same when boiled, and
weighing 74 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 545.
6°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares will yield 56 catties Boiled Benares.
70.—ioo catties of Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hlc.Tts. 395; and the
same when boiled, and weighing 56 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 430.
8°.—ioo catties of Raw Persian (oiled) or Turkish Opium will boil into 78 catties. 100
catties of Raw Persian (dry) will boil into 73 catties.
90.—ioo catties of Raw Persian (oiled), Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 415 ; and
the same when boiled, and weighing 78 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 470. 100 catties of Raw
Turkish Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 425 ï¼› the same when boiled, and
weighing 78 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 490. 100 catties of Raw Persian (dry), Duty and Likin
paid, will sell for 405 ; and the same when boiled, and weighing 73 catties, will sell for
HJc.Tts. 45牛


AMOY.
51
io°.—The local names in Chinese characters and their pronunciation in the local dialect
of the various kinds of Opium, Raw and Boiled, are as follows :—
Malwa: Raw, Ldu-soc^-peh-iiln-idh （老 山白洋藥）；Boiled, Laic-soa^-peh-ko （老
山白膏）.
Patna: Raw, Kong-i^n-idh （公 洋藥）；Boiled, Kong-i^-idh-lco （公 洋藥 膏）.
Benares: Raw, Ko-i^-ioh （姑洋 藥）；Boiled, Ko-i^-idh-ko （姑 洋藥 膏）.
Persian: Raw （oiled）, （油 白皮洋藥）；Raw （dry）, Bo-i^-peli-
phe-izcn-idh （無油白皮洋藥）;Boiled （oiled）, I^-pek-phe-ko （油白皮膏）；
Boiled （dry）, Bd-iiX-peli-plie-lco （無油白皮膏）.
Turkish: Raw, Kim-hoe-i^-idli （金 花洋 藥）；Boiled, Kim-hoe-ko （金 花 膏）.
11°.—The average net weight of Opium contained in one chest is as follows:—
Of Patna............................115 catties.
” Benares..........................116 ”
” Persian..........................100 ”
” Turkish..........................104 ”
Malwa Opium seems never to reach this port in the original chests and quantities in
wh.ich it arrives from India. It is always, or almost always, repacked in Hongkong, where
it is made up into 3-catty paper parcels. The chests of these parcels as imported into Amoy
are very unequal in size. Only 32 chests in all of this kind of Opium have been imported since
the 1 st February last, of whicli the largest contained 211 catties net, and the smallest 83 catties,
the average being 167 catties.
Persian Opium also fi-equently arrives made up, like Malwa, in 3-catty parcels, of which
the chests are equally irregular in size.
120.—In the trade practice of the port the seller allows—
On Patna and Benares, no tare beyond the actual weight of the cliest and packing
material, loose poppy-leaf dust, etc.;
On Malwa and Persian, 1 catty per chest, for poppy-leaf dust adhering to the
cakes; and
On Turkish, 2 catties per cliest, for the paper and cotton thread wrapping round
the cakes.
130.—The practice of this office is to allow—
On Patna and Benares, only the exact tare as ascertained;
On Malwa and Persian made up into 3-catty parcels, 2ä½™ catties on every 10 parcels,
for paper, poppy-leaf dust, and string;
On Persian in cakes, not repacked, 1 cntty per cliest, for adhering poppy-leaf
dust; and
On Turkish （which always arrives in original cakes though not necessarily in
original chests）, 2 catties per cliest, for paper and cotton thread wrapping.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Amoy.


52
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Amoy.
14°.—For the reasons mentioned in the last three paragraphs, namely, that most small
(or cake) Opium (Malwa, Persian, and Turkish) arrives here after having been repacked into
chests of very unequal size, it would not be possible to fix an average weight per chest for
any of the three kinds of Opium mentioned. As regards large (or ball) Opium (Patna and
Benares), merchants would not accept 120 catties as the average weight of a chest, for the reason
that the actual weight is rarely so much, 116 to 117 catties being the average.
150.—Now that all Opium has to be opened to be labelled, on payment of Duty and Likin,
it gives little extra trouble to ascertain the actual net weight of each chest, and it is much more
satisfactory for all parties to do this.
At this port chests of small Opium have always been opened, and tlie actual net weight
taken for payment of Duty, subject to the allowance mentioned in paragraph 13° above as made
for paper, cord, poppy-leaf dust, etc. The su伍ciency of these allowances for paper-wrappings,
etc., is verified by actual trial from time to time.
In the case of Bengal Opium, which is rarely repacked in Hongkong, the chests have not
as a rule been opened, the merchants preferring to pay Duty on 120 catties, though the actual
net weight was known to be, on the average, some catties less, rather than have their chests
opened, which always leads to still further loss in weight. But now that their Opium must in
every case be opened out, at the time of paying Duty and Likin, to be labelled, the reason for
paying on a higher average weight than the actual weight no longer exists, and the dealers will
prefer to have the actual weight ascertained, unless an average is fixed obviously in their favour,
in which case the revenue would probably lose. But no attempt could be made to fix an
average except for ball (Bengal) Opium. The Patna variety, I may mention, is rarely seen at
this port.
I recommend, therefore, that under the new Opium practice the actual weight of the
containing chest and loose packing material be in all cases ascertained and allowed as tare.
The practice in this o伍ce in allowing for adhering poppy-leaf dust and paper-wrappings in
the case of cake Opium seems to follow trade custom and to be reasonable. I do not therefore
recommend any change in this practice, but would require the adequacy of the allowance to be
verified from time to time.
16°.—The Chinese Opium traders at this port are said to boil a small quantity of Opium
over and above what is actually required for local consumption. This excess is sent to the
immediately adjacent towns and villages within a few miles distance, packed in small jars
containing, each, from 2 to 4 taels in weight.
This Boiled Opium is said to be always mixed with from 10 to 20 per cent, of Native
Opium.
170.—There is no record of any Boiled Opium having been exported, to the cognizance
of the Customs, from this port within the last 10 years.
18°.—No tax has hitherto been levied on Boiled Opium at this port. The farm, however,
has had to be satisfied that the Raw Opium dealt with had duly paid Likin.
190.—The boiling firms have not to pay any fee for the boiling privilege or to take out
any license.


AMOY.
53
20°.—No Boiled Opium is imported or exported at Amoy, and the question of Duty has
not been raised.
2i°.—Native Opium is in use at this port. It is rarely taken pure, but is, as a rule,
mixed with Benares Opium and the mixture adulterated with sesamum seed cake, which is
imported for the purpose from Shanghai.
22°.一The Native Opium in use at the port is said to be grown in the T'ung-an （同安）
district, within a distance of from 20 to 25 miles. There seems to be only one variety, which
is called locally 土漿 or 本 地漿.Its local value per picul is about Hk.Tts. 200.
230.—ioo catties of Raw Native Opium, value Hk.Tts. 200, will produce about 40 catties
Boiled, which latter will be worth about Hk.Tts. 220.
240.—Native Opium pays no tax at the place of production or en route. Being a
prohibited article, it has always been liable to seizure by any official who has come across it or
whose attention has been drawn to it. It lias therefore been necessary to carry it as secretly as
possible. Its movements, however, have not as a matter of fact been much interfered with.
The ex-Opium farmers say that they never collected Likin on Native Opium, but that
they always seized and confiscated it when they found it, as being a prohibited article.
On the other hand, the Opium dealers say that as a matter of fact the late farm was in
the habit of levying Likin on Native Opium as follows:—
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Amoy.
If Raw.....................Half the rate on Foreign drug.
If Boiled...................The full ” ” „
It is stated that about 10 years ago the then Taot'ai licensed a farm for the collection
of Likin on Native Opium, but the farm had made only one payment of Tts. 500 to the
authorities when its license was revoked by the succeeding Taot'ai. Since that date the
existence of Native Opium in this neighbourhood has been, in theory, fiscally ignored.
â– 
I have, etc.,
J. McLEAVY BROWN,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


54
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium : Crude and Prepared. 9 SWATOW.
Swatow ・
No. 370. Custom House,
Swatow, 23护cZ May 1887.
Sir,
In reply to your Circular No. 372 of 28th April 1887 :
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on:
I have the honour to report as follow&
i°.—The result of boiling the various kinds of Opium is that the weight is decreased
while the value is increaseæ­¢
2°.——ioo catties of Raw Patna will produce 50 catties of Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties of Raw Patna are sold for Hk.Tts. 397; when boiled, the same 100 catties,
yielding 50 catties Boiled Patna, are sold for Hk.Tts. 432.
Note.—Neither in Raw nor in Boiled Opium is there at Swatow a wholesale trade. The
price by the 100 catties given above is calculated on the actual selling rate of the price by the
catty, and the price of the Boiled Opium is calculated on the retail price by the liang. So
it is with all the varieties. While much Opium is imported here, the people who land it are
brokers, acting as the agents of firms at Cli'ao-cliou-fu and Chia-ying-chou.
40.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will boil into 66 catties.
5°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 471; boiled, and
weighing only 66 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 513.
Note.—I am told that there is really no pure Boiled Malwa in Swatow; it is used to
blend with Patna, to improve the latter.
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 52 c毗ties.
70.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 384; boiled, and
weighing only 52 catties, the same sell for Hlc.Tts. 425.
Note.—I am told that Boiled Benares is constantly sold as Boiled Patna.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Persian and Turkish Opium will boil into 71 catties.
9°.—Persian and Turkish Opium, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 413 the
100 catties. The same when boiled, although weighing only 71 catties, will sell for 511.
io°.—The Swatow names （Chinese characters and Swatow pronunciation） for the different
kinds of Opium are :—
Malwa: Raw, Peh-plnLe （白皮）or Kung-sz-peh （公司白）；Boiled, Kung-sz-peh-
hun-ko （公司白烟膏）.
Patna: Raw, Ktbng-thou （公 土）or Kung-pan （公 班）；Boiled, Kung-luvn-lo
（公烟膏）.
Benares: Raw, Hiap-te （叶茶）or La-tseng （勝庄）；Boiled, Hiap-hun-ko （叶烟 膏）.


SWATOW.
55
Persian: Raw, Ju-kim （油金）；Boiled, Ju-lcim-hun-ko （油金烟膏）.
Turkish: Roav, Kim-hue-ang （金花紅）；Boiled, Kim-hue-ang-hun-ko （金花紅
烟膏）.
ii°.—One chest Patna weighs from 114 to 121 catties; one chest Malwa, from 100 to
106 catties; one chest Benares, from 114 to 121 catties; one chest Persian, from 100 to 106
cat tiesï¼› and one dies t Turkish, from 100 to 106 catties.
Note.—Malwa, Persian, and Turkish Opium almost invariably come to Swatow made up
into 3-catty packets and in chests provided at Hongkong. I11 tlie case of Malwa, and to save
freight, it is the rule to put from 150 to 200 catties into a chest, the freight being payable by
the chest and not by weight.
120.—At Swatow sellers allow tare as follows:—
Opium:
Crude and
Prepared.
Swatow.
Patna, each ball
5 mace.
Malwa, each packet..............； . 2 „
Benares, each ball . . ...............5 „
Persian, each packet.................. 2 „
Turkish, each packet...................2 ”
Note.—As regards the 3-catty packet of Malwa, Persian, and Turkish there is no tare
actually allowed, but buyers expect to find in each packet an excess over 3 catties of 2 mace.
13°.—The Swatow Customs allow no tare on any Opium. The Opium is weighed and
the net weight only is dealt with.
140.—For the Swatow Customs I think it would be going back 011 an improvement to
pass Patna and Benares chests as uniformly weighing 120 catties, and Malwa, etc” as uniformly
weighing 100 catties. I am informed that the Swatow importers would resist any sucli ruling.
Few chests of Patna and Benares which come here weigh 120 catties.
150.一I have no remarks as to tore to offer. It lias been the custom here for 15 years
to open every chest and, after weighing it, to stamp the contents ball by ball or packet by
packet. I think the custom the best I have seen or can suppose.
16°.—Opium is boiled at Swatow for local use only. No Boiled Opium is sent inland for
sale, I am informed that firms which boil Opium to be sold and smoked at home do not mix
it with Native Opium, but those shops which boil Opium to be smoked on the premises, i.e.,
Opium-smoking dens, do mix some Native Opium with the Foreign Boiled Opium.
170.—Boiled Opium is smuggled to Singapore and Siam in inconsiderable quantities from
Swatow. We have not as yet made a seizure of it, but the current report is too universal not
to have some basis of fact. According to my information, this Boiled Opium is not adulterated
with Native Opium, and is packed in tin boxes containing 10 Hang* usually.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate, styling itself 洋藥四 項釐務分局，i.e., a collectorate
of Likin （釐金）,Haifang （海 防經 費），Boiled Opium （膏釐）,and supplementary （牙貼）,taxes,
in the lump sum which it called on Raw Opium to pay included a Boiled Opium Tax, as seems
evident; but there is no means here of determining what the amount tbus included was. That
was the only tax on Boiled Opium known at Swatow.
16 Hang equal I catty.


56
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Swatow.
19°.—There is at this moment at Swatow a project in embryo, but already enforced in
the Hai-yang district (in which Cli'ao-chou-fu is situated), of collecting monthly fees from
boiling firms. It seems to be the Magistrate^ yamen which is working it. As I write, at
Swatow all who choose (170 houses it is said) can boil Opium untaxed and unmolested.
Undoubtedly, however, this condition will not continue for long. The new fee at the district
city is a per-centage, it is said, of 3 per cent, on the monthly business done.
200.—Boiled Opium rarely has been exported from Swatow under permit. Till lately it
would have been the practice to have charged an ad valorem Duty on it departing, and a like
Duty on it arriving. Of course, if it had gone to a Chinese port it would have carried with
it a Duty-paid Certificate, and would have paid a Coast Trade Duty on landing.
210.—Native Opium is in use at Swatow, but in infinitesimal quantities, being mixed in
the smoking-dens with Foreign—Patna and Benares—Opium.
220.—Its place of production is not known. It is called, irrespective of origin, Ckuan-t'u,
i.e., Szechwan Opium. The history of it is not carried further back by its purchasers here
than where they buy it, namely, Ch'ao-chou-fu. But there is a large business in it at Cliia-ying-
chou, where it suits the consumers1 tastes better than here. At Cliia-ying-cliou it costs about
$4.50 a catty, or Hk.Tts. 294 a picul; but sales by the picul are not the custom. But Native
Opium is grown all over the districts comprised in the Ch'ao-chou prefecture. Practically
none of the proceeds are brought to the Swatow market, being used up within the districts
which grow the Opium. Asked to give it a name, an Opium merchant called it Pen-ti-tlw
(本 地 土)• “ pays no tax, seemingly, of any sort or kind, and the value per picul is Hk.Tts. 230.
It is so bad, however, in quality that only the worst dens use it for blending, and its sale is so
restricted that it is sold catty by catty.
230.一The best information I can get is that 100 catties of Chcuan-tcu will boil into
80 catties of Boiled Opium. The Raw Opium costs Hk.Tts. 294 a picul, and the 80 catties into
which it boils will sell for Hk.Tts. 419.
240.—The refi'ain to inquiry here respecting the taxation of Native Opium is that there
is no business in it at Swatow, as in this climate the use of it brings on dysentery; hence its
cost of production and taxation en route are not matters that concern anybody. It pays no
tax of any sort within the Chfao-chou prefecture. Locally-grown Opium is not taxed yet by
anybody; on the other hand, it does not circulate anywhere, altliougli it seems to be grown
generally.
I have, etc.,
E. McKEAN,
To Commissioner of Customs.
.SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G”
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


CANTON.
57
CANTON. Opium : Crude and Prepared. Canto n・
No. 617. Custom House,
I.G. Canton, 7th June 1887.
Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following answers called for by your Circular
No. 37. Second Series：
Opium: value of Boiled Opium, weight of various kinds of Raw Opium, etc.;
I.G. calls for Report on.
i°.—The result of the boiling or preparing process on the various kinds of Opium is
that it increases the value while it decreases the weight.
2°.—ioo catties of Raw Patna will produce 55 catties of Boiled Patna.
Note.—Patna is boiled into three qualities—the first yielding about 50 catties, the second
54 catties, and the third 61 catties; average, 55 catties. The quality most used is the second.
30.—ioo catties of Raw Patna, Duty and Likin paid, are sold for Hk.Tts. 432; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 55 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 519. -
Note.—First quality Boiled Patna sells for 6 mace 5 candareens per tael weight; second
quality, for 5 mace 8 candareens; and third quality, for 5 mace 4 candareens. The selling price
given above is an average rate.
40.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will boil into 75 catties.
5°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa, Duty and Likin paid, sell for Hk.Tts. 480； boiled, and
weighing only 75 catties, the same will sell for Hk.Tts. 540.
Note.—Malwa is boiled into two qualities—the first yielding about 75 catties, and the
second, 80 catties. The best quality is almost exclusively used, and costs 4 mace 5 candareens
per tael; the second quality costs 4 mace per tael.
6°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares will boil into 55 catties.
7°.—ioo catties Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, sell for 413. Boiled Benares
is not sold here; it is mixed with Patna and Native Opium, and is sold as such.
8° and 90.—Persian and Turkish Opium are not known here.
io°.—The local names （Chinese characters and local pronunciation） of the various kinds
of Opium are as follows:—
Malwa: Raw, Pak-pi （白 皮）and Kung-sze-pak （公司 白）；Boiled, Kung-sze-pak-
shuk-ko （公司白熟膏）.
8


58
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium:
Crude and
Prepared・
Canto n.
Patna: Raw, Kung-tu （公 土）and Yun-yong-yo （元洋藥）；Boiled, Kung-yen-lco
（公烟膏）and Kung-Jcao （公膠）.
Benares: Raw, Ku-tu （沽 土）and Ku-yong-yo （沽洋藥）；Boiled,—not sold pure;
always mixed with, and sold as Patna （or Native Opium）.
Persian and Turkish Opium are not imported, and appear to be unknown locally.
ii°.—The average weight of one chest of Patna or Benares is about 120 catties. There
is, however, a considerable difierence in the weight of old and new drug. During 1886 the
lightest Patna imported weighed 116 catties, the heaviest was 122 catties; and of Benares, it
was 113 and 121 catties respectively. Malwa likewise varies from 94* to 1。5寺 catties, according
to its age.
120.—The trade practice of the port is to buy Opium as required, in Hongkong, in small
lots, net. No tare allowance is recognised here. .
13°.—The Customs office practice is the same as the trade practice—to allow no tare, and
to weigh net.
14°.—If conducted in future as it is now, it would not suit the trade to pass Patna and
Benares at 120 catties, and Malwa （and other cake varieties） at 100 catties.
15°.—No remarks, explanations, or suggestions respecting tare allowances are therefore
offered.
16°.—Chinese Opium traders do not send any but Raw Opium inland; but consumers
from the whole province come here and buy their supplies of both pure and mixed drug.
The chief consumers of the mixed drug are the inhabitants of the Huai-chou prefecture and of
tlie districts bordering on the Kwangsi province.
17°.—About 10 piculs of best quality pure Boiled Patna are exported annually—chiefly
to Tientsin, and a little to Hankow. It is put up in 5 and 10 tael tins, and packed in ordinary
wooden boxes of various sizes, but mostly containing 100 catties.
It is asserted that a large amount of inferior quality Boiled Opium—»composed of six-
tenths Native and four-tenths Benares or Patna,—costing about 2 mace to 2 mace 5 candareens
per tael, is smuggled out of port direct, or vid Huai-chou-fu, by traders for export to Annam,
Singapore, and San Francisco.
18°.—The practice of the old Likin Collectorate has been to levy a tax of 3 candareens
per tael on the assessed monthly sales （calculated per diem） of each shop. Since the 1st day of
the 3rd moon （25 th March last） this tax has been collected by the Magistrates. Travelling
inland, Prepared Opium, in quantities of 5 taels and over, pays a tax （號餉）of 8 li per tael
at tlie first Hoppo's station passed; this tax, it is reported, will cease on the nth day of the
6th moon （31st July）.
190.—No fee is levied for boiling privilege beyond the above-mentioned tax, and all who
like may open a shop and boil Opium.
200.—The practice of this office has been to levy an ad valorem Duty on Prepared Opium
arriving and departing.


CANTON.
59
2i°.—Native Opium is used at this port both pure and mixed, mostly the latter. It is
mixed chiefly witli Benares, blit also with Patna and Malwa. In the city itself comparatively
little Native drug, pure or mixed, is used—the Huai-chou prefecture and the districts bordering
on the Kwangsi province being the chief consumers of this class of drug.
22°.—The Native Opium used at Canton is derived chiefly from Yunnan and Szechwan;
a little comes also from Kweichow, Kansuh, and Shensi. It is called Yilnnan-pak, Szechzuan-
pak, etc., according to the locality of production. Its local value is from Tts. 270 to 'its. 300
per picul.
23°.—One picul Raw Native Opium, costing, say, Tts. 300, will produce on ail average
70 catties Boiled Opium, costing Tts. 3 5&
Note.—Three qualities of Native Opium are prepared—the first yielding about 60 catties,
costing Tts. 384 (4 mace per tael); the second, yielding about 70 catties, costing Tts, 358 (3 mace
2 candareens per tael); the third, yielding about 80 catties, costing Tts. 332.80 (2 mace 6 can-
dareens per tael). Eight-tenths of all Native Opium consumed is of the third quality.
24°.—It has been difficult to obtain information on tlie taxation of Native Opium at the
place of production. It Avould appear that some 15 years ago Tts. 30 per picul was levied, which,
being eventually raised to Tts. 60, nearly killed the trade. Now, the taxes in Yunnan are
reported to be as low as Tts. 6 per picul. En route for Canton a tax of Tfe. 12 is levied at the
first Likin barrier passed in this province, which frees the goods from all further payments on
arrival at Canton. The tax en route is paid to the Li-wu-tsung-chu.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Canton.
I have, etc.,
FRANCIS W. WHITE,
Commissioner of Customs.
A
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


60
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Kiungchow.
No. 24&
KIUNGCHOW.
Custom House,
Kiungchow, 28th May 1887.
Sir,
In accordance with the instructions of Circular No. 372, Second Series, I now report
on Opium, Foreign and Native, Raw and Boiled, at this port.
4.—FOREIGN OPIUM.
i°.—Boiling decreases the weight and increases the value.
20.—ioo catties Raw Patna produce 55 catties Boiled Patna. （The amount of Boiled
Opium produced from a given weight of Raw Opium varies with the quality. In this and
subsequent answers medium quality is taken.）
3°.—ioo catties Raw Patna sell for Hk.Tts：4o6; when boiled, and weighing only 55 catties,
will sell for Hk.Tts. 480.
4°.—ioo catties Raw Malwa produce 65 catties Boiled Malwa.
50.—ioo catties Raw Malwa sell for HJc.Tts. 458; when boiled, and weighing only 65 catties,
will sell for Hk.Tts. 550. （The price of Boiled Malwa here given is the calculation of a Raw-drug
dealer. All the Malwa imported here is boiled by the consumers themselves. After very careful
inquiry I have been unable to get a shop quotation.）
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares produce 60 catties Boiled Benares.
70.—ioo catties Raw Benares sell for Hk.Tts. 393; when boiled, and weighing only
60 catties, will sell for Hk.Tts. 44& «
8° and 9°.—Persian and Turkish Opium are never used here. There is no market for
either kind, and the Opium dealers declare themselves wholly unacquainted with their values
and properties.
io°.—-The local names are:—
Malwa, Raw............................
atna, ”. • • . . . • • • •
Benares, .............................
Persian, ..............................
Turkish, .............................
Malwa, Boiled.........................
Patna, ” ......................
Benares, ”............................
Persian, ” ......................
Turkish, ”............................
Peh-tu （白 土）.
4o-血（黑 土）.
Kuh-tu （沽 土）.
} None.
Peh-in-lcao （白烟膏）.
Kung-in-kao （公烟膏）.
Kuh-in-kao （沽烟膏）.
\ None.


KIUNGCHOW.
61
ii°.—There is no uniformity in the weight of Patna and Benares chests; those of 40 balls
vary between 114 and 120 catties. Both extremes are rare; n6, 117, and 118 catties are
common. The average of all the 40-ball chests imported here since 1st May is 117 catties for
both Patna and Benares.
Malwa is not imported here in chests; it comes in quantities of from 15 to 30 catties
at a time.
Persian and Turkish are not imported.
120.—The seller allows no tare on any kind of Opium; it is weighed \vi£hout chest and
packing.
13°—In our office practice Patna and Benares balls are turned out of the chests and
weighed in baskets the weight of which is already known. All question of tare is thus
eliminated,
Malwa is weighed in the same way, but | catty tare is allowed for the paper in which
each parcel is wrapped. This allowance is checked from time to time by weighing the Opium
without the paper.
140.—It would not suit the dealers to pass Opium at a fixed weight, because a chest of
40 balls of Patna or Benares seldom weighs full 120 catties. The average of all the 40-ball
chests imported since 1st May is 117 catties. Ten dealers whom I consulted all wished to
pay on actual weight; and for the Customs, seeing that all our chests are opened in Hongkong,
and that much of the husk packing is not needed for the journey hither and can be replaced
with the same weight of Opium, I prefer our present safe method.
15°.—I have no remarks to make respecting tare.
16°.—Opium is boiled here for local use only.,
170.—No Boiled Opium is exported.
18°.—The old Likin Collectorate levied no tax on Boiled Opium either at the port or on
its way inland. *A. Kao-li （膏釐）tax, varying from time to time from $15 to Tts. 20 per
100 catties, was levied on the Raw drug at time of importation.
190.—No fee is paid for boiling privilege; all who like may boil.
200.—No Boiled Opium lias arrived or departed; there is, therefore, no port practice
in levying duty.
8—NATIVE OPIUM.
210.—Native Opium is known here, and a very small quantity is used. The Opium
dealers, indeed, declared that none ever came; but I succeeded in finding one shop where a
little is sold openly, and another which lias the reputation of selling it secretly. The total
amount imported is believed not to reach 5 piculs yearly. It is bought by a few residents
who have acquired a taste for it elsewhere, and by some of the soldiers who have come from
the mainland in the last two years. When used it is mixed with Patna or Benares—not with
Malwa.
Opium:
Crude and
Prepared.
Kiungchow.


OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
62
Opium :
Crude and
Prefared.
Kiungchow.
220.—This Native Opium is produced in Yunnan province—a more definite description
of locality cannot be obtained. It is called W^n-nam-tu （雲南 土）locally. No poppy is
cultivated in Hainan.
23°.—ioo catties Raw Opium produce 75 catties Boiled. The 100 catties Raw are valued
at Hk.Tts. 260, and the 75 catties Boiled at HJc.Tts. 327.
24°.—The taxes to be paid before the consumer is reached I have not been able to
ascertain. Nothing is known here of what is paid at the place of production or en route.
The latter taxes, if there are any, are all evaded between Paklioi and this port. Coolies sent
on business to Hoihow by Pakhoi firms bring the Opium by land from Paklioi to Haian, and
it comes across Hainan Strait with them in any passenger boat. I believe I am correct in
saying that it is never seen by any Customs or tax office here.
I have, etc.,
C. C. CLARKE,
Assistant-in-Charge.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


PAKHOI.
63
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Pakhoi.
PAKHOI.
No. 298. Custom House,
Pakhoi, 24th May 1887.
Sir,
I beg to acknowledge your Circular No. 372, calling for Report on
Boiled Opium and weight of Raw Opium, etc.:
and, in reply, to answer the several queries put by you in the order in which they occur.
i°.—The result of the boiling process on Opium is that its value is enhanced whilst its
weight is lessened.
20 to 50.—Cannot be answered.
6°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares will boil into about 60 catties of Prepared Opium.
7°.—ioo catties of Raw Benares, Duty and Likin paid, will sell for Hk.Tts. 400; boiled,
and weighing only 60 catties, the same will sell for Hlc.Tts. 510.
8° and 90.—Cannot be answered.
io°.—Raw Malwa is called Pak-to （白 土）； Raw Patna, Kung-to （公 土）； and Raw
Benares, Un-cha （元茶）.Boiled Malwa is not known. Boiled Patna is called Kung-Jco （公.膏）；
and Boiled Benares, Un-cha-ko （元 茶 膏）. Persian and Turkish are not known here.
ii°.—One chest of Benares will weigh from 115 to 121 catties, the usual weight being
118 catties. Patna is slightly heavier than Benares.
12°.—No fixed tare is allowed, Opium being purchased by the ball and paid for accordingly.
130.—The practice here is to turn out all the Opium from the chest and weigh it, Duty
being assessed on the ascertained weight.
14°.—It would not suit parties to pass a chest of Benares as 120 catties, as the weight
seldom reaches that figure. Tlie weight is usually 117 to 118 catties; when it exceeds this, it
becomes evident that the chest contains Patna as well as Benares.
15°.—It may answer at ports where the importation is large to consider the question
of tare; here it is not necessary to do so, as Opium is weighed by itself—that is, it is, as already-
stated, turned out of the chest and weighed separately.
16°.—Chinese Opium dealers boil Opium for local use only.


64
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Pakhoi.
17°.—The boiling firms do not export Boiled Opium.
18°.—No tax has been levied on Boiled Opium.
19°.—No fee is paid for boiling privilege; anyone may boil who likes.
200.—No Boiled Opium is either imported or exported. Were any to pass the Customs,
Duty at the rate of Hlcffts. 137.50 per picul would be levied.
210.—Native Opium is used both pure and in the mixed state. When blended with
Benares its flavour is much improved.
220.—Native Opium is produced in Yunnan; it is called Wan-cha （雲 茶）,and is valued
at about Hk.Tts. 260 per picul.
230.—One picul of Native Opium will yield about 65 catties of Boiled Opium. The price
of 100 catties Raw is about Hkffts. 260, and the price of the Boiled 65 catties, about Hk.Tts. 340.
240.—It is not known wliat taxes Native Opium is subjected to at the place of production
or en route to this port.
The tariff at the Native Customs for Native Opium is 9 mace per 200 taels weight, and
the Likin charge is 5 mace for 100 taels weight; it does not appear, however, that either office
collects any money, all the Opium finding its way in clandestinely.
It would seem, moreover, that no tax is collected on the drug in Yiinnan, armed bands,
who defy all authority, conveying it from Yunnan into Kwangsi.
I have, etc.,
WALTER LAY,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G., *
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


KOWLOON.
65
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
KOWLOON. Kowloon.
No. 71. Custom House,
LG. Kowloon TT , 21st June 1887・ Hongkong
Sir,
I am now in a position to forward you the Report on Boiled Opium called for by
your Circular No. 372; and as some considerable care has been taken to obtain it, I trust the
information I am now forwarding may prove reliable. I answer your questions seriatim, as
they are asked by yourself.
i°.—The weight of all Opium is decreased by boiling, and the value increased.
20.—ioo catties Raw Patna will produce about 53 catties Boiled Patna.
3°.—ioo catties Raw Patna are sold for about Hkflts. 280 to Hk.Tts. 300; when boiled,
and weighing only 53 catties, it will sell for $10 per it>.—or 53 catties, = （say） 71 lb., =$710,
or Hk.Tts. 452. This is when it is going into consumption in the Colony; if for exportation,
it is $1 per lb. cheaper.
40.—ioo catties Raw Malwa will produce 75 to 90 catties Boiled Malwa.
5°.—There is no quotation for Boiled Malwa, as the Opium farmer 砒 present prepares
none.
6° and 7°.—The out-turn of Benares when boiled is the same as for Patna, and the value
slightly less.
8°.—ioo catties Raw Paper Persian （i.e., wrapped in paper） yields 80 catties when boiled;
while the Oiled Persian gives a rather smaller yield.
90.—There is no trade in, and therefore there are no quotations for, Boiled Persian
in Hongkong.
io°.—The local names of the different kinds of Opium are :—
Malwa: Raw, PaJc-pci （白 皮）；Boiled, Pak-p'i-kd （白皮膏）.
Patna: Raw, Kung （公）；Boiled, Kung-lco （公膏）.
Benares: Raw, JL心（古）；no Boiled in market.
Persian: Raw, You-kam （油 金）；no Boiled in market.
Turkish: Raw, Kam-fa （金 花）;no Boiled in market.
ii°.—The extreme variation of weight for Patna would seem to be from 115 to 124 catties
per chest; but the usual weight for nezv drug is from 120 to 122 catties, and for old from 118
to 120 catties. Malwa weighs from 98 to no catties per chest; but the average is 5 to 6 catties
over the picul. Benares runs to very much the same weights as Patna. Persian weighs as
high as 117 catties sometimes, and. is rarely known to be under the full picul. Turkish Opium
is about 100 catties per chest, but is seldom dealt in in Hongkong.
9


66
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Kowloon.
12°.—On Patna and Benares Opium there is no tare allowance; the drug is sold by the
chest. On Alalwa tlie tare varies considerably, apparently from 22 to 88 taels on the picul, and
the amount is decided by the test of the sample. On Persian there is no fixed tare, as much
depends on tlie quality of each lot. Turkish Opium is little used, and there seems to be great
variation of tare.
13°—No rate of tare lias been yet decided on for this office; I am waiting for more
experience.
140.—I am of opinion that fixed weights for chests of Opium should be avoided, as
importers would soon learn the advantage of always having a little over the fixed amount in
every chest. Patna might perhaps be safely taken at a fixed weight.
150.一I am not yet prepared to make any positive suggestions as to tare on Opium ； but
with cake sorts the exact weight will now be arrived at in the course of making up the parcels,
and on that Duty will be collected. In case of unclean Opium some allowance might be made;
but the point requires further consideration, as it opens the door to so much dispute.
16°.—The Opium farmer in Hongkong boils chiefly for local consumption, and only an
extremely limited quantity finds its way coastwise. It is packed in jars and tins, and there is
no admixture of Native drug.
170.—Boiled Opium—in 10-tael tins, and 50 tins to a case―no doubt reaches San
Francisco and Australia in very considerable quantities, though not openly shipped. It lias no
admixture of Native Opium.
18°.—Likin on Raw Opium about to be imported into China in junks used to be received
in Hongkong by the T（ai-hsing （泰 興）and other banks.
19°.—The Hongkong Opium farmer now pays to the Colonial Government an annual
fee or rental of $182,400, and lie has the sole legal right to boil Opium in the Colony.
200.—As Boiled Opium is a monopoly in Hongkong, none is, openly at least, exported
from China into it; and the quantity imported into China is nominal.
210.—No Native Opium is in use in Hongkong.
220 to 240.—To these questions I can give no answer.
g
F. A. MORGAN,
Commissioner of Customs^
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


LAPPA.
67
Opium:
Crude and
Prepared.
Lappa.
LAPPA.
2i. Custom House,
j G
Lappa, 21st May 1887.
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Circular No. 372, Second Series:
Calling for a Report on the state of the Opium business at Macao:
and to submit, in reply, the following particulars collected on the 24 points that were to be
inquired into.
i°.—The result of the process of boiling down Bengal Opium is that the weight gets
reduced to almost one-half, while the value augments by about one-third.
20.一100 catties Raw Patna will produce 5 2寻 catties Boiled Patna.
30.—ioo catties Raw Patna are sold in the Colony for $426.67 （Hk.Tts. 275.27）; the same
when boiled, and weighing only 52為 catties, will sell for $566.44 （Hk.Tts. 365.44）.
40 and. 5°.—No business is done in Malwa at Macao. -
6°.—ioo catties Raw Benares will boil into 52九 catties.
7°.—ioo catties Raw Benares sell for $420 （Hk.Tts. 270.97）; boiled, and weighing only
52為 catties, the same will sell for $559.78 （HJc.Tts. 361.15）.
8° and 90.—There is no market at Macao for Opium of the Persian and Turkish
descriptions.
io°.—The local names for the various kinds of Opium are:—
Malwa: Raw, PaJc-pi-yin （白皮煙）；Boiled, PaJc-pi-yin-ko （白 皮煙膏）.
Patna: Raw, Kung-yin （公煙）；Boiled, Kung-yin-Jco （公煙膏）.
Benares: Raw, Ku-yin （姑煙）；Boiled, Ku-yin-Jco （姑煙膏）. •
Turkish: Raw, Kum-fcih-yin （金花 煙）；Boiled, Kum-fah-yin-lco （金 花煙 膏）.
Persian has the same terms as Malwa.
11 —Patna and Benares usually con tain 120 catties' weight of Opium, which sometimes
falls short or is exceeded, according to the dryness of the drug. For Opium of other descriptions,
since they are not imported, no information can be gained.
120 and 130.—Opium sales in Macao are done in balls, when no question of tare can
come forward.
140.—Native dealers are always agreeable to pass the ball as weighing 3 catties; and
considering that at times it weighs less, it would do equally well for the Customs to accept the
chest of Patna of 40 balls as containing 120 catties.


68
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Lappa.
15°.；—I have nothing to suggest concerning the tare to be allowed, for the reason
explained in replies to 12° and 13°.
16°.—The Opium farmer alone boils Opium at Macao. His article does not contain any
Native Opium, it being prepared solely of the Patna and Benares kinds. Tlie business done by
him, as far as China is concerned, does not extend beyond tlie limits of the Colony.
170.一The farmer exports Boiled Opium to Australia and San Francisco and other parts of
California. In packing the Opium, copper boxes large enough to hold 8 taels are employed;
but there is not more than 5 taels' weight of Boiled Opium placed into each. The copper boxes
are packed into tin cases holding 20 each, and six tin cases are made up in one package and
enclosed in a wooden chest, when the drug is ready for transportation abroad. Thus, one chest
of Prepared Opium contains 600 taels' weight = 0.37寺 piculs, wliicli is equivale nt to 24 balls or
72 catties of Raw Opium.
18°.—The Likin stations round Macao have as yet had no occasion to tax Boiled Opium,
there being, so far, none passed for inland places.
19°.—The privilege of boiling Opium within the Colony is restricted to one firm, which
pays to tlie Macao Government a rental fee of $43,000 per annum. The present farmer's
agreement runs for 10 years, commencing from the 14th May 1881. Any person found in the
act of boiling Opium is liable to a heavy penalty: besides the confiscation of the Opium, he has
to pay a considerable fine, half of which goes to the Government and half to the farmer.
200 to 240.—On these points I have no remarks to 0琏為 no Native Opium being known
to have entered Macao to this date.
Being kindly aided by the Harbour Master, Mr. da Costa e Silva, and the Opium farmer,
I have been enabled to collect certain statistics, which, drawn up in a tabular form, I beg to hand
you as an Enclosure. It well illustrates the extent of the illicit traffic which is being done in
。问zg
I have, etc”
EDM. FARAGO,
Commissioner of Customs.
To
SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G.,
Inspector General of Customs,
PEKING.


LAPPA.
69
ENCLOSURE.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Laffa ・
Comparative Table showing the Disposal of Opium imported at Macao
from 1883 to 1885.
Year. Imported into Macao. Consumed locally (average)・ Exported to Australia and San Francisco in a Boiled state. Exported to Chinese Ports by Junks. Quantity sup- posed to be tnkeii to China clandestinely. Total・
Piculs ・ Piculs. Piculs. Piculs ・ Piculs. Piculs.
1883 9,295.20 360 2,779-20 1,968 4,188 9,295.20

1884 9,156 360 571.20 2,263.20 5,961.60 9,156

1885 10,392 360 1,790.40 1,728 6,513.60 10,392



68
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium : Crude and Prepared・ Lappa. 15°.—I have nothing to suggest concerning the tare to be allowed, for the reason explained in replies to 12° and 130. 16°.—The Opium farmer alone boils Opium at Macao. His article does not contain any Native Opium, it being prepared solely of the Patna and Benares kinds. The business done by him, as far as China is concerned, does not ext encl beyond the limits of the Colony. 17°.—The farmer exports Boiled Opium to Australia and San Francisco and other parts of California. I11 packing the Opium, copper boxes large enough to hold 8 taels are employed; but there is not more than 5 taels' weight of Boiled Opium placed into each. The copper boxes are packed into tin cases holding 20 each, and six tin cases are made up in one package and enclosed in a wooden chest, when the drug is ready for transportation abroad. Thus, one diest of Prepared Opium contains 600 taels' weight = 0.37^ piculs, wliicli is equivalent to 24 balls or 72 catties of Raw Opium. 18°.——The Likin stations round Macao have as yet had no occasion to tax Boiled Opium, there being, so far, none passed for inland places. 19°.—The privilege of boiling Opium ■within the Colony is restricted to one firm, which pays to the Macao Government a rental fee of $43,000 per annum. The present farmer's agreement runs for 10 years, commencing from the 14th May 1881. Any person found in the act of boiling Opium is liable to a heavy penalty: besides the confiscation of the Opium, he has to pay a considerable fine, half of which goes to the Government and half to the farmer. 200 to 240.—On these points I have 110 remarks to offer, no Native Opium being known to have entered Macao to this date. Being kindly aided by the Harbour Master, Mr. da Costa e Silva, and the Opium farmer, I have been enabled to collect certain statistics, which, drawn up in a tabular form, I beg to hand you as an Enclosure. It well illustrates the extent of the illicit traffic which is being done in Opium from this place. I have, etc., EDM. FARAGO, Commissioner of Customs. To SIR ROBERT HART, K.C.M.G” Inspector General of Customs, PEKING.


LAPPA.
69
ENCLOSURE.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Lappa ・
Comparative Table showing the Disposal of Opium imported at Macao
from 1883 to 1885.
Year ・ Imported into Maca o. Consumed locally (average)・ Exported to Australia and San Francisco in a Boiled state. Exported to Chinese Ports by Junks・ Quantity sup- posed to be tnkeii to China clandestinely ・ Total・
1883 Piculs. 9,295.20 9,巧6 io,392 Piczds. 360 360 360 Piculs. 2,779-20 571.20 1,790.40 Piculs ・ 1,968 2,263.20 1,728 Piculs. 4,188 5.961.60 6.513.60 Piculs. 9,295.20 9,156 10,392
1884
1885



70
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Summary ・
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW AND BOILED).
RELATIVE VALUE AND WEIGHT.
SUMMARY OF PORT REPLIES TO I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
i. Values.
The values, etc., supplied by the ports show great differences, which it is difficult to
account for, e.g.:—
PORTS. Malwa ・ PORTS. Turkish ・
Value per Picul. Boiling Out-turn per Picul・ Value of Boiling Out-turn ・ Value per Picul. Boiling Out-turn per Picul. Value of Boiling Out-turn ・
Newchwang Tientsin Hk.Tls. 472 506 Catties. 80 70 Hk.Tts, 708 567 Shanghai Foochow Hk.Tts. 43。 419 Catties. 65 80 Hk・乐. 460 757
2. Averages.
Taking the figures as they are, the following averages have been arrived at:—
Description. Value per 100 Catties・ Boiling Out-turn of 100 Catties. Value of Boiling Out-turn・
Hk.Tts. Catties ・ Hk.Tk.
Patna 408 52 465
Benares.... 397 54 452
Malwa 470 72 540
Persian.... 41 c 74 480
Turkey 423 76 524
3，Notes.
(a.) Originally Patna and Benares (i.e., Bengal), which are grown under Government
control, appear to have been the only kinds of Opium introduced into China. They come in
balls weighing about 3 catties each, which contain about 2| catties of pure Opium, the " skin"
(i.e., the husks forming the outer coating) weighing about | catty.


SUMMARY.
71
It is only since the time of the Nanking Treaty that Malwa (the product of Central
India, which until that time had been prohibited in the British coast provinces) has gradually
forced its way. Malwa is made up in small cakes of varying weight and packed 140 ft. in
a diest (McCulloch, p. 978). It has a very thin skin, and is, in fact, almost pure Opium.
The Chinese Import Duty being the same on all kinds (Tts. 30 per picul), Malwa and
other cake varieties are practically admitted at, say, Tts. 5 less per picul than Patna and Benares
(owing to the difference in the weight of the skin, already referred to).
This difference (perhaps also other causes) has gradually given Malwa the ascendency
over the other kinds. Thus, in 1855 the export from India of Bengal Opium was 53,000 chests,
and of Malwa 25,000 chests (McCulloch, p. 978); and in 1886 tlie legitimate import into China,
shown in the Customs Returns, was 25,000 chests of Bengal, and 37,000 chests of Malwa.
(6.) From the Reports it would appear that Patna (and Benares) is oftener consumed
pure, while Malwa and other cake varieties are more frequently used for mixing with Native
drug. Patna is the dearest and the best of the varieties.
(c.) The quality of Boiled Opium, whether pure or mixed, varies considerably: a thin
(and cheaper) or a thick (and dearer) article can be produced to suit the pocket and taste
of customers. At Canton three kinds of the chief varieties are obtainable. Thus, of Patna the
first quality (yielding 50 catties per picul) costs 6 mace 5 candareens per tael weight; the second
quality (yielding about 54 catties) costs 5 mace 8 candareens per tael weight; and the third
quality (yielding about 61 catties) costs 5 mace 4 candareens per tael weight. More varieties
are mentioned at Shanghai. Older and better Raw drug, longer and more boiling (or refining),
and long keeping, seem to constitute the conditions necessary for producing a first-class article.
(cZ.) The Hongkong and Macao boiling establishments boil Patna and Benares only. The
Import Duty thereon, to be in harmony with the Raw drug rate, should be about double that
rate (Tts. 200 to Tfe. 220 per picul).
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Summary.
E. OHLMER.
22nd August 1887.


iisaiâ– :
72
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
SUMMARY.
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW AND BOILED): LOCAL
73
NAMES, RELATIVE WEIGHT, AND VALUE・
SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO
PORTS. PATNA. MALWA.
Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty and Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty and Likin paid, cost. — 100 Catties Raw 1
Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. SeU for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for.
Hk.Tts. Catties. Hk.Tts, Hk加 Catties. H1C.&
Newchwang 公大土公班 廣膏 大土廣膏 403 5i 511 小土白土 小土膏 白土膏 472 80 708
Tientsin 矢土公班 公夭丄廣膏 大土膏公膏 442 50 506 小土廣土 5。6
小土膏
70 567
Chefoo 公班 黑土膏 公膏 459 52 5】7 白土 小土 廣土賣 白土脣
ICHANG. (Nil.) Hankow 小土膏廣膏 廣膏小土膏 5】o 80 76 538

天土 公膏 384 5i寺 398 廣土小土
Kiukiang 437 485 455
大土 公班膏 386 55 411 小土 白皮膏
75 510
WUHU 大土膏公膏 435 5i 465 小土 小土膏 463
Chinkiang 70 540
公膏 39。 5o 423 小土白皮 小土烟膏
Shanghai 45。 65 470
公膏 387 55 425 小土 小土膏
470 65 500
Ningpo 大土公班 天土貢膏 395 53 445 小土 小土膏
Wenchow 47。 7o 530
大土 次土膏子 412 5。 447 小土 小土膏子
43i 70 478
Foochow 公土 大土膏 397 5o 534 白皮 小土膏 462
75 635
Tamsui 公土 犬土膏 油金油霎 小土膏

馬蹄 老山小土

Takow 公鴉片土 鴉片烟膏 ... 白皮 白皮煙
Amoy 公洋藥 公洋藥膏 400 54 460 老山白洋藥 老山白膏｛ 490 (old) 465 (new) 5701 545 /
}•74 {
Swatow 公土公班 公烟膏 397 5。 432 白皮公司白 公司白烟膏
471 66 5】3
Canton 公土元洋藥 公烟膏公膠 432 55 519 白皮公司白 公司白熟膏
480 75 54。
Kiungchow 衆土 公烟膏 406 55 480 白土 白烟膏 458 65 55。
Pakhoi 公土 公膏 白土

Total 6,125 782寺 6,973 7,520 1,150 8,649
Average 408 52 465 ...- 470 72 54。
Kowloon 公 公膏 290 53 (452* ｝白皮 自皮膏
t 4。5十 ? 82寺 ?
Lappa 公煙 公煙膏 275 52 365 1 白皮烟 白皮烟膏
••• -1
I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
BENARES. PERSIAN. TURKISH.
Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost: 100 Catties Raw Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw
Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for.
Bl倾. Catties Hk.乐. Catties Hlc.血 Hk.血 Catties Hk血.
喇大土 廣膏 395 5i 496 …
喇莊 喇大土膏 喇矢主廣膏
喇莊黑土 黑土膏 42 5 5。 481 金花土 次小土
喇土 喇膏 433 53 519 金花土 金花土膏 430 80 474
喇庄 公膏 384 5i寺 398 金花 金花膏 ...
喇土 喇土膏 377 55 402 金花紅土 金花紅膏 400 75 425 •••
喇庄喇土 420 55 500 金花紅 443 75 463 ...
喇土 喇公膏 375 52 408 金花紅 小土膏 3內 65 4。5
喇庄大土 大土膏 372 52吉 410 金花土 金花紅 金花膏 43。 65 460 ・… 430 65 460
大土喇班 大土貢膏 385 56 435 金花紅肉 金花膏 410 70 460
頂班 頂班膏子 412 5。 447 日悄 日蜡膏子
喇土 大土膏 375 5。 534 新山 小土膏 406 75 724 包紙新山 小土膏 419 80 757
勝土 大土膏 376 52 396 白皮 小土膏 428 75 454 金花 小土膏 435 82 461
叶鴉冷土 叶鴉岸烟膏 425 55寺 452 小土 小土煙 419 81 465 金花 419 81 465
姑鴉片土 姑鴉片烟膏 油白皮洋藥 油白皮膏 4巧 (oiled). 405 78 470 金花洋 金花膏 425 78 490
姑洋藥 姑洋藥膏 395 56 4305 無油白皮洋 無油白皮膏 73 454 j藥
I 藥 @ry)・ 金花紅 金花紅烟 膏
叶荃勝庄 叶烟膏 3§4 52 425 油金 油金烟膏 413 7i 5ii 413 71 511
沽土 沽洋藥 413 55 ¥ ・•・
沽土 沽烟膏 393 6o 448
元茶 元茶膏 400 60 52 ...
7,139 966寺 7,691 4,984 883 5,765 • • • 2,54i 457 3,144
... 397 54 452 ... 415 74 480 423 76 524
古 ? 53 ? 油金 ? 80 金花 ...
1姑烟 姑烟膏 271 52 361 白皮烟 白皮烟膏 金花烟 金花烟膏
Local consumption.
t For export.
J Always mixed with and sold as Patna.
10


72
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW AND BOILED): LOCAL
SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO
PORTS. PATNA. MALWA.
Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty and Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw 一 Local Names. IOO Catties Raw, Duty and Likin, paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw
Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled ・ Sell for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled ・ Sell for.
Hk.Hs. Catties. Hk.Hs. 1 Hk.è¡€ Catties. Hlc.Tts.
Newcrwang ' 公大土公班 大霧膏 公大土廣膏 403 51 5,1 小土白土 小土膏 白土膏 472 80 708
Tientsin 矢土公班 大土膏公膏 黑土膏 442 50 1 小土廣土 白土 膏膏膏 土吐土 小廣白 5。6 70 567
Chefoo 公班 公膏 459 52 517 小土 小土膏廣膏 51。 80 538

ICHANG. (Nil.) Hankow 犬土 公膏 384 5违 398 廣土小土 廣膏小土膏 437 76 455

Kiukiang 大土 公班膏 386 55 411 小土 白皮膏 485 75 510

Wunu 大土膏公膏 435 5i 465 小土 小土膏 463 70 540 -

Chinkiang 公膏 390 5。 423 小土白皮 小土烟膏 45。 65 470

Shanghai 公膏 387 55 425 小土 小土膏 47。 65 500

Ningfo 大土公班 天土貢膏 395 53 445 小土 小土膏 47o 70 530

Wenchow 汰土 汰土膏子 412 5。 447 小土 小土膏子 43i .70 478
Foochow ' 公土 大土膏 397 5。 534 白皮 小土膏 462 75 635
公土 大土膏 ... … 油金油霎 馬蹄 老山小土 小土膏
Takow 公鴉片土 鴉片烟膏 ... 白皮 白皮煙

Amoy 公洋藥 公洋藥膏 400 54 460 老山白洋藥 老山白膏｛ 490 (old) }• 5701
465 (new) 545 J
SWATOW 公土公班 公烟膏 397 5。 432 白皮公司白 公司白烟膏 471 66 513
Canton 公土元洋藥 公烟膏公膠 432 55 519 白皮公司白 公司白熟膏 480 75 540
Kiungchow 黑土 公烟膏 406 55 480 白土 白烟膏 458 65 550
Pakhoi 公土 公膏 … 白土
Total ... 6,125 782吉 6,973 ... ••• 一 7,520 1,150 8,649
Average 408 52 465 … 470 72 540
Kowloon 公 公膏 290 53 / 452： ｝白皮 自皮膏 ? 82養 2
I 405十
Lappa 公煙 公煙膏 275 52 365 白皮烟 白皮烟膏

Local consumption.
t For export.


SUMMARY.
73
NAMES, RELATIVE WEIGHT, AND VALUE.
I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
BENARES. PERSIAN. TURKISH.
Local Names・ Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw Local Names・ Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost: 100 Catties Raw Local Names. Catties Raw, Duty & Likin paid, cost. 100 Catties Raw
Raw・ Boiled ・ Produce Boiled. Sell for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for. Raw. Boiled. Produce Boiled. Sell for.
Gatties Hlc.T/s. Catties Hk.è¡€ Hk.Th. Catties Hk.Th
喇大土 廣膏 395 51 496
喇莊 喇大土膏一
喇莊黑土 黑土膏 425 5。 481 金花土 次小土 …
喇土 喇膏 433 53 519 金花土 金花土膏 430 80 474 … …
喇庄 公膏 384 51* 398 金花 金花膏
喇土 喇土膏 377 55 402 金花紅土 金花紅膏 400 75 425
咧庄喇土 420 55 500 金花紅 443 75 463
喇土 喇公膏 375 52 408 金花紅 小土膏 385 65 4。5
喇庄大土 次土膏 372 52吉 410 金花土 金花紅 金花膏 430 65 460 a … 43。 65 460
大土喇班 大土貢膏 385 56 435 金花紅肉 金花膏 410 70 460
頂班 頂班膏子 412 5。 447 日蜡 日蜡膏子
喇土 大土膏 375 5。 534 新山 小土膏 406 75 724 包紙新山 小土膏 419 80 757
勝土 大土膏 376 52 396 白皮 小土膏 428 75 454 金花 小土膏 435 82 461
叶鴉片土 叶鴉片烟膏 425 55$ 452 小土 小土煙 419 81 465 金花 419 81 465
姑鴉片土 姑鴉片烟膏 油白皮洋藥 油白皮膏 415 (oiled). 405 (dry). 78 47。 逢花洋 金花膏 425 78 490
姑洋藥 姑洋藥膏 395 56 430 < 無油白皮洋 藥 油金 無油白皮膏 73 454 j藥
叶茶勝庄 叶烟膏 384 52 425 油金烟膏 413 71 5ii 金花紅 金花紅烟 413 71 511
沽洋藥 413 55 丰

沽土 沽烟膏 393 6o 448
元茶 元茶膏 400 60 5【o
7,139 966寺 7,691 4,984. 883 5加5 2,541 457 3,144
397 54 452 415 74 480 423 76 524
古 ? 53 ? 油金 ? 80 ? 金花
姑烟 姑烟膏 271 52 36i 白皮烟 白皮烟膏 金花烟 金花烟膏
X Always mixed with and sold as Fatna.
10


74
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared・
Summary ・
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW).
NET WEIGHT OF CHESTS, TARE ALLOWANCES, ETC.
SUMMARY OF PORT REPLIES TO I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
Patna and Benares.
1. Weight.—The contents of chests vary from 112.50 catties (old) to 127.50 catties (new).
At the ports south of Foochow, where Duty is levied on the net weight, the average weight
of a chest is about 116 catties; at the Northern ports, where, as a rule, the Customs levy Duty
at the fixed-weight rate (120 catties), the average appears to be generally above 120 catties.
2. Tar& Allozuances.—At Ningpo and Swatow 12J catties per chest are allowed by the
trade on ball varieties, for husks; at Foochow i| catties are allowed. At Tamsui retailers appear
to allow 11 taels tare per ball, =27.50 catties per chest, on Benares. The other ports report no
such allowances.
The Customs allow no tare on ball varieties: Duty is levied either on the net weight
(Southern ports) or at the 120-catties rate (in the North).
Malwa, Persian, and Turkish.
1. Weight.—Mahva in original chests varies from 94* to 110 catties; Persian, from 9弓
to 108J (Kowloon, 117 ?) catties; Turkish, from 95 to 110 catties. Hongkong repacked chests
contain from 100 to 200 catties.
2. Tare Alloivances.—On Malwa the trade allows at Shanghai 5 catties; at Foochow,
i| catties; at Amoy, 1 catty (for poppy-leaf dust, etc” adhering to cakes); and at Kowloon, from
1^ to 5 寺 catties, according to quality.
On Persian, at Shanghai, 5 土 catties; at Foochow, 1 寺 cat ties; at Takow, 2 catties (for the
paper wrappers); and at Amoy, 1 catty (per original chest).
On Turkish the Shanghai trade allowance is 5 十 catties; Foochow allows 电 catties; Amoy,
2 catties (for paper wrappers'). Other ports appear to make no trade allowances.
The Customs make no tare allowances except for paper wrappers, etc. In the North,
chests are generally passed at the fixed rate of 100 catties, although the weight is generally
above it; in the South, Duty is levied on the actual net weight.
General.
The majority of the ports seem to be in favour of weighing net and charging on net
weight. As regards cake varieties, only Wenchow and Newcliwang think the 100-catties rate


SUMMARY.
75
acceptable; all the other ports report against it. As regards the ball varieties, 8 ports are
for and 13 against a 120-catties fixed rate; all ports south of Shanghai (excepting Wenchow
and Lappa), besides Shanghai, Chinkiang, and Hankow, report against it. On these points the
Shanghai, Foochow, and Amoy despatches should be perused.
Note.
The tare question has not been fully and uniformly understood at the ports. From
several despatches it is not clear whether (although weighing the Opium net) they charge at the
fixed (120 and 100 catties) rates or the net weight.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Summary.
E. OHLMER.
16th August 1887


OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
SUMMARY.
76
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW): NET WEIGHT
OF CHESTS, TARE ALLOWANCES, ETC.
PORTS.
Usual Weight
in
one Cliest.
Catties.
Patna.
Sellers*
Tare
Practice.
Catties.
Benares.
Newchwang
1
127.50 (new)
112.50 (old)
F.w. 120
Tientsin
Chefoo.
ICHANG. (Nil.)
Hankow.
Kiukiang
WUHU.
Chinkiang,
Shanghai
Ningpo.
Wenchow
Foochow.
Tamsui
Takow
Amoy
SWATOW
Canton
Kiungchow
Pakhoi
Kowloon
Lappa.
120
119.50
120
X2O
120
119 to 122 (new)
114 to 119 (old)
120
120
120
Z2O
115
114 to
116 to
115 to
121
122
120
å·¥24
120
No tare
No tare
F.w. 120
No tare
Uncei-tain....
No tare
：2$, for husks..
No tare

No tare.
No tare
No tare
SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO LG.
CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
Malwa.
Persian.
Turkish.
Will it suit all to pass
Customs
Tare
Practice.
Catties.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
120
120
120
120
120
No tare
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
120
120
120
120
No tare
No tare
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellers*
Tare
Prac tice.
Customs
Tare
Practice.

Catties.
Cattles.
Catties.
127.50 (new)
112.50 (old)
z F. w. 120
F.w.
120
120
"6.73
120
120
119 to 122
114 to 119
120
120
120
120
"4寺
112J to 118^
116
114 to 121
113 to 121
114 to
120
115 to 121
ii5 to 124
120
No tare
No tare
No tare
Uncertain......
No tare
：2寺，for husks..
No tai-e

27.50 allowed
by retailers
No tare
No tare
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
120
120
120
No tare
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
120
120
120
120
No tare
No tare
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellei's*
Tare
Practice.
Customs
Tare
Practice.
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellers'
Tare
Practice.
Customs
Tare
Practice.
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellers'
Tare
Practice.
Customs
Tare
Practice.
Ball Varieties
at
120 Catties ?
Cake Varieties
REMARKS.
Catties.
Catties.
Catties^
Catties.
Catties.
Catties.
at
100 Catties?
102 (via H*kg)
100 ( ,, S'hai)
F.w. ioo
F.w. 100
Catties.
Catties,
Catties.
Yes
Yes
102.50
103.43
97 (old)
105 (new)
103 to 105
96 to 105
103 to 105
97 to 103
100 to 104
104
IOO
104
100 to 106
94j to 105I
98 to 110
No tare
No tare
F.w. 100
No tare
Uncertain......
5
No tare

i per cliest, for
poppy-leaf dus t
No tare.
「[託 to
f accor
I to sample J
F.w. 100
No tare
F.w. 100
F.w. 100
No tare
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
F.w.
100
100
IOO
102
r If in parcels, "]
2 号 catties
for every !
10 parcels, j
for paper,
.etc........J
No tare
No tare......
No
100
100
100 or less...
103t0TO5 I
97 to 103 )
95 to 100
100
104
95 to 108^-
100
100 to 106
100 to X17
No tare
F.w. 100
No tare
Uncertain..
5i
No tare

Weigh net; 2
catties tare
allowed for
paper wrap-
pers.......
1 per cliest
(original)
No tare
Various
No tare
F.w. 100,
No tare
2 per cliest,
for paper
wrappers
F.w. 100,
F.w. 102,
Weigh net; 2
catties tare
allowed for
paper wrap-
pers.
No tare
No tare
No
Yes
95 to 100
104
99 to IIO
104
51
2 per chest,
for paper
wrappers
No tare
F.w. 100.
F.w. 102
Weigh net
and allow
12 tare for
paper.....
2 per diest,
foi* paper
wrappers
No tare......
No
Yes
No
Yes.
No
"Tare: Patna, 90 to 120 catties; Benares, 95 to 125
catties; Mahva, 62 to 82 catties. Patna and Benares
are passed by trade and Customs at 120 catties
net; Malwa is occasionally opened, but always
. passed at 100 catties.
To pass Malwa at 100 catties would suit inerchants but
not Customs; 102 catties should be the rate. Patna
and Benares tare, 102 to 106 catties; Mahva tare,
60 10 65 catties.
Malwa is always over 100 catties and is charged
accordingly. Recommended that net weight always
be taken and charged.
f Original (unopened) chests might be passed at fixed-
1 weight rate; if opened in Hongkong, contents
I should be weighed net.
Since commencement of simultaneous collection Malwa
has been weighed net, and the average weight
ascertained is 103 to 103J catties; some chests have
weighed 105 catties. Duty is cliai'ged, however, on
100 catties.
Malwa if weighed under 105 catties, to pay as 100
catties; if 106 catties, to pay on actual weiglit.
Vide, Chinkiang despatcli.
Vide Shanghai despatch.
The weight is sometimes over, hardly ever under, the
figures here given. It will suit the inerchants but
not the Customs to pass Opium at fixed weight.
Vide Foochow despatch.
Average tare of Benares, 117 catties; average tare
of Turkish, 3 2吉 catties. (Vide despatcli for tare
allowance.)
C Malwa is always repacked in Hongkong. Chests vary
J' greatly in weight, some weighing as much as 211
] catties net. The same remark applies to some
I extent to Persian likewise. (Vide despatch.)
Mahva, Persian, and Turkish arrive rarely in original
chests; Hongkong repacked chests contain some-
times as much as 200 catties.
Yes....
Vide Enclosure in re smuggling from Macao.


76
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
FOREIGN OPIUM (RAW): NET WEIGHT
SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO LG.


SUMMARY.
OF CHESTS, TARE ALLOWANCES, ETC.
CIRCULAR, No. 372 of 1887.
Persian.
Turkis H・
Will it suit all to pass
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellers'
Tare
Practice.
Customs
Tare
Practice.
Usual Weight
in
one Chest.
Sellers*
Tare
Practice.
Customs .
Tare
Practice.
Ball Vaneties
at
120 Catties ?
Cake Varieties
at
100 Catties?
REMARKS.
Catties.
Catties.
Catties.
Catties.
Catties.
Catties.
Yes
Yes
No
ioo
xoo
too or less...
10310105 )
97 to 103 )
95 to ioo
ioo
104
95 to xo8吉-
ioo
100 to 106
100 10 1x7
No tare
No tare
No
F・W・ ioo
F.w. ioo,
Yes
No tare
No tare
Uncertain.・
2 per cliest,
for paper
wrappers
5i
No tare
Weigh net; 2
catties tare
allowed for
paper wrap-
pers...........
i per diest
(original)
No tare
Various
F.w. ioo.
F・W・102
Weigh net; 2
catties tare
-allowed for
paper wrap-
pers.......
No tare
No tai*e
95 to 100
104
99 to no
104
100 to 106
5i
?
2 per chest,
for paper
wrappers
No tare
F.w. ioo.
F.W・ 102,
Weigh net
and allow
1 tare for
paper...,
2 per diest,)
for paper s
wrappers)
No tare
No
Yes
No
Yes.
No
"Tare: Patua, 90 to 120 catties; Benares, 95 to 125
catties; Malwa, 62 1082 catties. Patna and Benares
are passed by trade and Customs at 120 catties
net; Malwa is occasionally opened, but always
j passed at 100 catties.
To pass Malwa, at 100 catties would suit merchants but
not Customs; 102 catties should be tlie rate. Patna
and Benares tare, 102 to 106 catties; IMalwa tare,
60 to 65 catties.
IMalwa is always over 100 catties and is charged
accordingly. Recommended that net weight always
be takeu and charged.
C Original (unopened) chests might be passed at fixed-
-! weight rate; if opened in Hongkong, con tents
I should be weighed net.
Since commencement of simultaneous collection Malwa
has been weighed net, and the average weight
ascertained is 103 10 103J catties; some chests have
weighed 105 catties・ Duty is charged, however, on
100 cat ties ・
Malwa if weighed under 105 catties, to pay as 100
catties; if 106 cat ties, to pay on actual weight.
Vide Cliinkiang despatch.
Vide Shanghai despatch.
The weight is sometimes over, hardly ever under, the
figures here given. It will suit the merchants but
not tlie Cust0111s to pass Opium at fixed weight・
Vide Foocliow despatch.
(Average tare of Benares, 117 catties; average tare
-! of Turkish, 3 2吉 catties・ (卩idf despatch for tare
I allowance.)
(3Ialwa is always repacked in Hongkong. Chests vary
p greatly in weight, some weighing as mucli as 211
1 catties net. The same remark applies to some
I extent to Persian likewise. (Vide despatch.)
Malwa, Persian, mid Turkish arrive rarely in original
diests; Hongkong repacked chests contain some・
times as much as 200 ent ties ・
Yes
Vide Enclosure in re smuggling from Macao・


78
OPIUM: CRUDE AND PREPARED.
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
Summ ARY・
FOREIGN OPIUM (BOILED).
TRADE, TAXATION, ETC.
SUMMARY OF PORT REPLIES TO I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
1. Inland Trade.
(ct.) From the replies received it appears that, with the exception of Newcliwang,
Kiukiang, Chinkiang, Tamsui, Takow, and Amoy, whence small quantities are sent to places in
the vicinity, no trade to speak of in Prepared Opium exists. Apparently Opium is boiled
everywhere and by everybody; at the same time, the large number of visitors flocking to
the Treaty ports appear to lay in supplies there for private consumption.
(&.) Boiled Opium is generally packed in tins containing i to io taels, or in jars con-
taining i to 4 taels.
(c.) Newcliwang, Tientsin, and Kiukiang report the Boiled Opium going inland to be
pure; Hankow, Tamsui, and Takow report it mixed with. Native Opium, and often adulterated.
In Canton, both pure and mixed are in use.
2. Export Trade.
(a.) It is only Canton which exports Prepared Opium, and this in annually decreasing
quantities (13 piculs in 1885 and 0.72 piculs in 1886), to Tientsin (and a few catties to Hankow),
in 5 and 10 tael tins, packed in wooden boxes generally holding a picul. All other ports report
no trade coastwise, nor is any Boiled Opium openly exported from China to Foreign countries.
(&.) Canton and Swatow report that Prepared Opium一mixed from the former, and pure
from tlie latter port—is smuggled abroad (Annam, Singapore, etc., and San Francisco).
(c.) Kowloon reports that a limited quantity of Hongkong Prepared Opium (pure) finds
its way to coast ports. Lappa, on the contrary, holds that Macao Prepared Opium does not
go beyond Macao limits.
(cZ.) Kowloon and Lappa refer to the export of pure Prepared Opium from Hongkong
and Macao to Australia and San Francisco.
3. Taxes on Boiled Opium.
(a.) A tax on Boiled Opium, called Shic-kao-li, has nominally been levied in the Kwang-
tung province since 1880. Originally 3 candareens per tael weight, it was gradually reduced,
owing to opposition of the traders. It was collected on the importation of the Raw drug, and
levied together with the other Likin, which likewise fluctuated considerably.


SUMMARY.
79
(6.) Besides the Kwangtung ports, only Tientsin and Chefoo report the levy of a tax
on Boiled Opium: at Tientsin it is Hk.Tts. 0.50 per 100 taels (= Hk.Tts. 8 per picul); Cliefoo
Opium :
Crude and
Prepared.
reports Hk.Tts. 67.20 (per picul ?), which is probably an error,
taxes are levied on Boiled Opium going inland or exported.
All other ports report that no 〜---------
丄 Summary.
(c.) At Shanghai mention is made of a tax of TZs. 80 per 1,000 taels, conditional upon
production of proof that Duty hacl been paid on the Raw product. Imposed in 1885, it is
practically in abeyance now.
4. Boiling License Fee.
At Canton a boiling license fee or tax of 3 candareens per tael weight is levied on the
assessed monthly sales of each boiling-shop, calculated per diem. A license must be procured
from tlie Magistrates, who likewise collect the tax. A similar tax is about to be introduced
at Swatow. At all the other ports the boiling is free, and anyone may boil for private use
or for sale. In some places boiling-shops are registered, at others no control of any kind appears
to be exercised.
5. Customs Practice.
Shanghai levies Hk.Tts. 60 per picul on Boiled Opium imported or exported; Chefoo
levies Hk.Tts. 60 on importation; Newcliwang, Tientsin, Hankow, Ningpo, Swatow, and Canton
have levied 5 per cent, acl valorem,. The remaining ports have not had to deal with Boiled
Opium.
6. General.
Generally speaking, the legitimate wholesale trade, whether inland, coastwise, or abroad,
in pure Prepared Foreign Opium—in fact, in Prepared Opium generally—at the Treaty ports
appears to be insignè¿…cant. The boiling is conducted by retail shops, which sell mostly over
the counter.
E. OHLMER.
20th August 1887.


80
OPIUM： CRUDE AND PREPARED.
PORTS.
Newchwang
Tientsin
Chefoo........
Ichang ・ (Nil.)
Hankow
Kiukiang
WUHU.....
ClIINKIANG
Shanghai,
NlNGPO •…
Wenchow
Foochow ・
Tamsui..
Takow
Amoy.
SWATOW,
Canton
Kiungchow.
Pakhoi
Kowloon.
Lappa
Particulars of Boiled Opium sent Inland.
To what Places.
奉天府
錦州府
Taken by vis计ots, not
sentï¼› in all direc-
tions within a radius
of 1,000 li.
Taken inland by pur-
chasers.
祁門
樂平
景鶴
i翁
嘛城
六安
?
FOREIGN OPIUM (BOILED):
In what Packages. Pu^ fr with
0 I Native Opium・.
Various sized tins
(1 to 10 taels)・
Various sized tins
(i to 5 taels).
Various
In tins con taining
from 1 to 10 taels.
In tins containing
from it 02 t aels.
Various.............
啤頭東港
嘉襄鹿港
Various neiglibouring
towns.
Not sent,
sumers
Pure.
Mixed
Pure (?)
Pure.
?
?
SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO '
Particulars of Export of Boiled Opium.
To what Ports.
In wliat Packages.
Pure or Mixed.
In 1, 2, and 4 tael jars
Various.............
In 2 and 4 tael jars.
Pure, as a mlo
Mixed
Smuggled to Singa・
pore and Siam.
In To・tael tins
Pure.
but con・
from the
province
come and buy tlieir
supply here.........
whole
Pure and mixed,
both..........y
Smuggled to Ann am,
Singapore, and San
Francisco...........
Tientsin and Han-
kow ; about 10
piculs annually.....
A limited quantity
finds its way to Clii-
.nese coast ports ....
Considerable quanti-
ties are sent, though
not openly shipped,
to San Francisco
and Australia.......
San Francisco and
other Californian
ports and Australia.
â– Various
Mixed
In 5 and 10 tael tins
j>In jars and tins....
In ael
-packed 50
tins
in a
Pure.
Pure.
-.
case ・
â– J
In 8-tael tins
taining 5 taels of
Opium, of which 20
go to a tin case. Six
tin cases are placed
con-
in a wooden box.
2
* Boiled Opium sent inlnnd must produce proof of payment


SUMMARY.
SI
TRADE, TAXATION, ETC.
I.G. CIRCULAR No. 372 of 1887.
Likin Practice.
Boiling License.
Customs Practice.
Tax levied on Boiled
Opium
consumed in Port.
Tax levied on Boiled
Opium
sent Inland・
Amount of Fee
levie d・
To whom paid.
Wlio may boil.
Duty levied on
Boiled
Opium departing.
Duty levied on
Boiled
Opium arriving.
REMARKS.
None
None
None
Anyone
5 per cent, ad vol.
5 per cent・ ad vol.
Annually only 2 chests of Patna
are sent into tlie interior in a
boiled state.
Hlc.27s. 0.50 for every
100 ounces・
Hlc. Tts. 0.50 for every
100 ounces・
Foreign and Native Opium are
not mixed・
Hlc. Th. 67.20 per
picul (?)・
None sent
Hk.応.6 o per picul
Malwa and Native Opium are
generally mixed.
None
None *
None
Tax levied; amount
not ascertainable・
Amon nt uncertain;
originally 3 can-
dareens per tael Kao-
li tax were included
in the General Likin
paid on importa-
tion ..............
A Kao-li tax vary-
ing from è´Ÿ 10 to
TZ& 20 per picul
was levied on the
Raw drug on im-
portatio n・
None (?)...........
None
None
Any dealer
Anyone
None*
None
1
8
passing first Hop・
卜 po*s station: to
be discontinued
on 31st July........
A monthly tax is
about to be
levied by the
Magistrate.
li per tael when
3 candareens per
tael weight on
the monthly-
sales of each
shop...........
i Magistrate at ptc・
[sent...........
J
None
None
Hongkong Opium Farm fee is $182,400 per anmun.
Macao Opium Farm fee is §43,000 per annum
5 per cent・ ad veil.
5 per cent, ad veil.
Hk・ 27s. 6 o per picul
5 per cent, ad val.
5 per cent・ ad nal.

27s. 6 o per picul
5 per cent・ ad ©aZ・
5 per cent・ ad val.
Coastwise Opium under Export
Certificate would pay half
Duty ・
of Duty and Likin or pay a tax of Tti. 80 per 1,000 taels.
11














IL—SPECIAL SERIES.

No. 1.—Native Opium........................................ Published 1864.
„ 2.—Medical Reports : 33rd Issue (First Issue, 1871) ” 1887.
„ 3.—Silk ................................................... ” i88i.
” 4.—Opium................................................... ” i88i.
„ 5.—Notices to Mariners : Sixth Issue (First Issue, 1883)... ” i888^
” 6.—Chinese Music .......................................... ,, 1884.
” 7.—Instructions for making Meteorological Observa- ~
TIONS, AND THE LAW OF STORMS IN THE EASTERN SEAS ” 1887.
” 8.—Medicines, etc., exported from Hankow and the other
Yangtze Ports, with Tariff of Approximate Values ” i888.
” 9.一Native Opium, 1887...................................... ” i888.
” 10.—Opium: Crude and Prepared.................................... 1888.