CO129-018 - Others - 1846 — Page 58

House Comm Admira

Age

Board

dealers in an intoxicating drug under the superintendence of the Police, auct & checking a sonuggling trade betwen Hong Kong and (buna in anarticle

prohibited in the latter Coruitry.

hewing the Oprium farm in this light,

and considering that the licence syption, is the mode of taxation with which the Natives of China are understood to be most familiar, My Lads are opinion that its "general principles are notority

pistipable, but commendable, altho in this country a similar system would probably be found impercticable..

1

My Lords observe that the objection taken to the farm by Mep Boustead

appears

56

appears tobe, that it prevents Hongdong -being made a depôt for a Foreign Ofmum trade, but as the faron does not affect the wholesale trade, but only that carried on install packages, Mytours appelend that its tendency is only to discourage an illicit traffic, which is permitted might probably cause more serious injury to our Commence by disturbing our relations with China than any that could result from com- the total supprepion of a particular Branch Of Grade. The private Enquiries which. My Lords have made among. parties interested in the trade

of China lead them to suppose that the dissatisfaction Expressed by Mep = Boustead on the subjich of this Jaxis

Mr.o

nor

oreign Office

reasury