svalled T TA
I
herewith, it appears that the cuntention of the Mucao
authorities is that they require 840 chests per year
fur lucul consumption and export, and that, should
71
they reduce this amount, they will lose revenue whilst
Hong Kong will be the gainer.
In to-day's "Seculo" there uppeurs an interview
with Lieutenant Alvaro Machado, lutely Governor of
Macao ad interim. His Excellency expressed the
opinion that the province had no future before it,
but that is would shortly be a great burden upon the
mother country. It has no resources of its own, but
draws its income almost exclusively from gambling
and opium, which are bound to disappear before Loft
By international agreement the consumption of opiuk
must be progressively reduced and will le almo. t ex
tinguished in five years, whilst the competition
Hong Kong must be also considered, us it is to i
interests of the British Government tu
in Macau for the benefit of Hong Kong.
freduce
To this end.
the British Government, after first of all prohibiting
the transit of opium through Hong Kong, has now for-
bidden the transit through Singapore, and will not fail
L
to
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