467
that we cannot merely by our altering "collecting ourselves of the obligation towards China which we contracted in 1886, and which did not exist when we last issued licenses in 1883 and system of our revenue divest
1884. Under the bonded warehouse system be put, a greater expense for the same purposes, and we should in addition have to maintain a revenue cruiser service and blockade ourselves in order to prevent smuggling into the Colony. The increased cost of collection would supply argument for giving up the revenue. Again, whatever efforts the Government might make, it would certainly be unable to prevent frequent and extensive smuggling, and the consequent demoralization of the people would