608
Ensorted from India before it save-
In sort of India to under obligation to assist India in obtaining what the decisions, and, in any case,
would make concessions in the denied direction only on condition of concessions at least equal concessions to China in respect of the opium trade. 8. The proposal that
opium to be exported from India only under the Chinese flag is one which the Government of India could not accept.
But it might, perhaps, be possible to devise a system under which the Coast Customs could subject the opium duty and tax and hand the collections to the Chinese Government. Under such a system smuggling would be completely prevented that the Chinese Government could afford to make large concessions in return. If arrangements could be made whereby the annual revenue from present Indian revenue and the present abuses of opium were secured, possibility of China obtaining, through the agency of the Indian Government, a larger share than at present of the revenue derived from opium entirely stopped, the Government of India might be disposed to consider a proposal to introduce such a system.
7. There are, however, on the other hand, objections to the Government of India taking any share in the collection of the Chinese duties on opium exports completely.