1
local consumption of opium,
but also in an indefinite
increase of smuggling from
the
Colony
into China, and
a breach of treaty obligations
on the part of Great Britain towards the Chinese Empire.
12.
I have stated that
the abolition of the farm
would cause a serious and
immediate falling off in
the revenue
derived
from
opium, and would almost
certainly be followed after a
short
The
463
short interval by the total extinction of that
My
are as
reasons.
revenue.
for this opinion
follows. In paragraph 16 I have explained the
circumstances which must
preclude under a bonded warehouse system the levy,
of a high rate of duty
on removals
from
the warehouse,
To what is there mentioned I would add that no matter what rate of duty
were
fixed,
a very large proportion of the
opium