475
might be advantageously considered in connexion. Consequent upon the troublesome "Opium Monopoly" question dealt with in Hong Kong Despatch 4304 annexed.
The Report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the operation and regulating of Ordinance No. 8 of 1838 for licensing "the sale of prepared Opium" shows what difficulty is experienced by the Hong Kong Government in ascertaining the approximate value of the monopoly.
The License is granted to the highest bidder, and it will be seen by reference to an enclosure in Sir A. Kennedy's Despatch 4258 of the 18th of March 1873 that the Revenue derived by the Colony from the sale of this License has gradually increased from $28,165 in 1859 to $137,000 in 1875.
The enormous influx of Chinese into California, and their continued emigration to Australia, New Zealand, the Sandwich Islands, Honolulu, Peru, and to various ports on the West Coast of America, has opened a vast market for prepared Opium. This preparation