Government has carefully studied the Chinese market; it has made experiments to suit the tastes of its customers, it has sent special messengers to China to discover how the trade might be promoted. Let the following extracts from the Calcutta Blue Book of 1870 he perused, and we believe most Englishman will be startled to perceive how thoroughly our Indian Government has become imbued with the spirit of a trading company in its dealings with opium.
(Extracts from) Minute by the Honourable J. Strachey, dated Simla, 20th April, 1869.
Opium Revenue.
616. I learn from demi-official letters from Mr. Grey to Sir R. Temple and myself, regarding the prospects of the opium crop, that the Lieutenant Governor thinks it possible that the total quantity of opium available for sale in 1870, from the crop of the present year, may not exceed 38,000 chests. There is apparently no hope that it will exceed 41,000 or 42,000 chests. Admitting that it may, to some extent, be possible to supplement the amount from the crop of 1870, the Lieutenant Governor does not think that we can prudently reckon on being able to bring to sale in 1870 more than 40,000 chests. I presume (though I am not sure of this) that in addition to this quantity, the Lieutenant Governor hopes to be able to secure the necessary supply of Abkaree opium, which is about 4500 chests. Thus the total quantity of opium which may probably be available in 1870 is 44,500 chests. •••••••• 618. I think, therefore, that the Lieutenant Governor in assuming that not less than 54,500 chests will be required annually for the next few years has made an extremely moderate estimate of our wants. At the same time it is right to say that, so far as I can discover, this quantity is much larger than any which was suggested by the Financial Department as necessary. There seems to me to have been for some time past a constant and most wise desire on the part of the Government of Bengal to increase the production of opium, and although the views of that Government have been ultimately adopted by the Financial Department, I cannot pretend to think that the action of the Government of India in the matter has been satisfactory.
619. To give annually 54,500 chests of opium, the Lieutenant Governor states in his letter to the Revenue Board dated the 19th October, 1868, that 790,500 beegahs of land will be required. In the Board's reply, dated the 23rd December, 1868, it was stated that the area of cultivation for which engagements had been entered into for the current season was altogether 762,000 beegahs. There was therefore a deficiency of 28,000 beegahs.
620. With the object of supplying this want, the Bengal Government proposed the reopening of the agencies of Seetapore and
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