CO129-020 - Sir John Davis - 1847 [5-8] — Page 185

:advisable with reference to the present and feehive

revenue to be derived

it in its

&

& from that import to continue

- present form or to substitute some other.

The

only

other mode that appears to me as feasible is the issuing of an unlimited number of ne and. : there fore in order to decide

licenses in liew of one,

on the preference to be given to the her systions, I propose to Consider the nature of the trade affected by the Opium Farm. 2. the working of the present system. & the probable effect of that prepund. 4. Only a small part of the retailed Opium is consumed in the looting : the greater part is . way by small coasting junks. This class of - -vessels bring sundry Cargers from the Cast West Coasts to the Canton river, many

through this harbor .

and all

taken

and

many passing

near

6 passing ne

to it.

They take their returns principally in foreign goods and Opium, many take ossium alone, their whole Capital sometimes not amounting to the price of a full chest . The Opium to be purchased at the port of discharge, where

.

used

3.

179

its price had ben increased by the expense of

smuggling / including of course high,

the native

smugg

intermediate dealer.

ter.) and by the

Say

to $50 a chest. If it were.

high prests to

profit of the

that these cmounted

- evere a matter of indifference

a

to the junks at what port they purchased

the

their opium provided that they paid same price, the Government.

the Government might impose

love of less than $50. a chest diminished.

by the profits of the Heonghing retailer, and I prefer to purchase it at Heongkong; and the lower the tax the greater the

they

would

inducement to come.

But there

the resort

Featy among

proper

pending

are.

here.....

he greater

many

known obstacles to

of junks hither the Supplimentary

others) and therefore the taxe to be placed on the retail of thium

the establishment of a regular trade

- to the Colony would seem to be

a sum lest

than the price of smugeting by the native

added to the profits of the intermediak dealer