esenting the Committee of the
Commercial Bazaar. Mr. Wong spoke in the Mandarin language and stated that
all of China was looking to Shanghai for a lead in the matter of
suppressing opium and that it was with great pleasure the committee had
noticed the earnest desire of the foreign Municipal Council (and he was
_not_ intending to be _sarcastic_!) to assist the Chinese in their
endeavour to do away entirely with this traffic. It was a very commendable
effort, and he was sure the foreigners there would agree that no effort on
their part could be too strong to do away with this curse, which was not
only undermining the best intellects of China, but by the example of
parents was affecting seriously the rising generation. To-day a gentleman,
who had been a smoker for twenty-nine years and had realized the great
harm it had done him, was present, and had brought with him his opium
utensils to be destroyed with those from the opium saloons of French-town.
The Nan Sun Zin Opium Palace, from which the pipes and other opium
utensils had been brought for destruction, was the largest in Shanghai
and, he had heard, the largest in China, patronized by the most notable
people. The example of Shanghai was felt in Nanking, Peking, and all over
China, for the young men who visited here took with them the report of the
pleasures they saw practiced in this settlement and thus gave the natives
different ideas. These young men often came here to see the wonderful
work accomplished by foreigners, and it was not right that they should
take this curse back with them. It had been originally intended to burn
also the chairs and tables from the palace, but as this would make too
large and dangerous a fire it had been decided to sell these and use the
proceeds for the furtherance of the anti-opium movement.

Among the pipes were some for which $500 had been offered, but the
Committee of the Commercial Bazaar had purchased the whole outfit to
destroy, and they hoped to be able to buy up a good many more of the
palaces and thus utterly destroy all traces of the opium-smoking practice.
Mr. Wong remarked that China had recently been under a cloud and in
Shanghai there had been protracted rains, but to-day it was fine and it
was evident that heaven was looking down upon them and blessing their
efforts. With heaven's blessing they would be able to overcome the curse
and be even quicker than the Municipal Council in completely wiping out
this abominable c