+48
: the revenue had largely decreased; the cost of collection increased, and the demoralization of the people and the police could be alleged with a fair show of reason. The upshot of all these circumstances would be that the Government would be compelled to abandon the attempt to collect a revenue from opium.
17. To resume - the substitution for the farm of any other method of collecting the opium revenue would result in a large increase in the local consumption of opium, unlimited facilities for smuggling from the Colony into China and (in the case of the adoption of the bonded warehouse system) extensive smuggling into the Colony, the breach of treaty obligations towards China, a large loss of revenue.
469