von years available show that, while the consumption of opium
India has remained practically constant, the "exoise" reveme rived therefrom which is not in fact the whole revenue
increased from 155 lakhs to 211 lakhs.
137
A similar argument applies in the case of the export traffic.
C
• Govt. of India have for the past seven years
clition of the China traffic
eir sales of opium to Eastern countries. This limit is 13,200 este a year; and it compares with an annual export of something
er 16,000 chests a year prior to the cessation of the China
ade.
ever since the
imposed a voluntary limit on
It will be obvious that the more revenue this export trade
ings in, the higher the cost of Indian opium will be to the
sumer; and the less inducement there will be for him to increase
sumption.
A concrete illustration will make the position clear
en the war broke out, opium for export brought in about Rs. 1500......j chest (say) £100; the price at the latest sale was approximately
6000. That is, for the same quantity exported, the revenue is
quadrupled, if expressed in rupees; and is approximately seven
es the former amount, if expressed in sterling. This brief
umé of the position will show how entirely incorrect Miss La
te's argument.
4. The main features of the export trade in opium
(1) India voluntarily gave up a revenue, amounting
or millions sterling a year, to assist China in her polià
mping out the use of opium.
(II) whatever the causes may be, it is now clear th
•
um is being extensively grown in China; and it seems pr
at the drug is now being used there almost as freely as i
ère India made this heavy sacrifice on China85 behalg.
(III) These sales are, so far as that is possible,
rect to the Govt. of the consuming countries. The responsib
their limiting their demands to II legitimate requirements, and for
Prenting re-export is thus placed, clearly and definitely, on
** Govts., who alone are in a position to guage the demand, to
it their imports accoddingly, and to prevent exports. The Govt.
:0.
ed
dve
FEE
12