CO129-034 - Sir Bonham - 1850 [9-12] — Page 337

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

opium to smoke, or a pound's worth to remit home by the passage boat to leave in the evening.

A

This is not of course a large trade but it is considerable for a young place like this, and will doubtless grow with our increasing general trade.

Say the whole thing, wholesale and retail, turns over no more than $100,000 per month — still the traffic of it passes through some half dozen different hands in the Colony, and must necessarily leave a profit with each.

I look upon this as one of the best effects of the modification of the opium monopoly that by extending the licenses to several hands instead of one, it raises up a wholesome competition and keeps the article at a fair value.

The best evidence of its beneficial working is this — That the refining of Opium here, with its infinitesimal retail, and its having grown into the favored medium of petty remittances, has entirely sprung up since the sole monopoly was modified into the license system.

There appears to me a way of improving this revenue of the colony — we may afford it to abolish that revenue altogether and to let every struggling Chinese who can afford it, buy his ball of Opium and smoke it down for himself without its being taxed a single farthing.

The local traffic in this luxury has not hitherto grown up here. First — the retail branch, as explained above, must have been hitherto greatly shocked, if not almost barred, by the old monopoly.

It was the interest of the Sole-farmer, or, rather the Chinaman he employed, to sell a comparatively small quantity at his own price, than a much larger, at prices laid down for him in an open and fairly disputed trade.

This hitherto kept down the boiling and refining of the drug here — The farmer was his own refiner, and

Edit History

2026-05-17 18:22:00 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct
Live
View comparison
AI Proofread
opium to smoke, or a pound's worth to remit home by the passage boat to leave in the evening. A This is not of course a large trade but it is considerable for a young place like this, and will doubtless grow with our increasing general trade. Say the whole thing, wholesale and retail, turns over no more than $100,000 per month still the traffic of it passes through some half dozen different hands in the Colony, and must necessarily leave a profit with each. I look upon this as one of the best effects of the modification of the opium monopoly that by extending the licenses to several hands instead of one, it raises up a wholesome competition and keeps the article at a fair value. The best evidence of its beneficial working is this That the refining of Opium here, with its infinitesimal retail, and its having grown into the favored medium of petty remittances, has entirely sprung up since the sole monopoly was modified into the license system. There appears to me a way of improving this revenue of the colony we may afford it to abolish that revenue altogether and to let every struggling Chinese who can afford it, buy his ball of Opium and smoke it down for himself without its being taxed a single farthing. The local traffic in this luxury has not hitherto grown up here. First the retail branch, as explained above, must have been hitherto greatly shocked, if not almost barred, by the old monopoly. It was the interest of the Sole-farmer, or, rather the Chinaman he employed, to sell a comparatively small quantity at his own price, than a much larger, at prices laid down for him in an open and fairly disputed trade. This hitherto kept down the boiling and refining of the drug here The farmer was his own refiner, and
Baseline (Original)
opium to smoke, or a pounds worth to remit home by the passage boat to leave in the evening _ A This is not of course large trade but it is considerables for a young place like this, and will doubt. trade. our in grow with our no increasing general Say the whole thing, toholesale and retail, turns over no more than $100,000 per month _ still the traffic of it passes through some half in and must half dozen different hands to the Colony, belonging - necessarily leave each ___ I look upon this and 4 ain to a driblet of gar as one of the best effects of the modification of the opium monopoly that by. betending the licenses to several hands instead of one, it raises up a wholesome competition and Reeps the article at a fair value _ The best evidence of its beneficial working is this _ That the refining of Opium here with its infinitesimal the fast of its having grown retail, and into the favored :d medium of petty remittances, has entirely sprung up since the sole monopoly toas to ad mo - dified into the license sijsten There appears to On One: that wholesome the finan Soon as e just ono Me as are. Nam AM CES As t way of improving rely. of the colong may afford it to abolish that revenue altogether and to let every struggling chinese who afford it, buy his ball Carr buy his ball of Opium bock it down for himself without its taxed a Causes a single farthing . assign why a larger universal . the following As And being the local traffic in this luxury has not hitherto up here._____ First _ the it, as grown Thirst _ the retail branch. o explained above, must have been hitherto greatly shocked if mot almost. bared by the old monopoly ___ It was the interest of the Sole-farmer, or, or rather Chinaman he would consider it to AJ A be his interest, to sell a comparatively small quantity. at his Own price, than a mu in an larger, at prices laid down for him open and fairly disputed trade - This hitherto of the kept down the boiling and refining here _____ The farmer drug ev tras his own refiner, And
2026-05-17 18:22:00 · Baseline
View content

opium to smoke, or a pounds worth to remit home by the passage boat to leave

in the evening _

A

This is not of course

large trade but it is considerables for

a young place like this, and will

doubt.

trade.

our in

grow with our

no

increasing general

Say the whole thing, toholesale

and retail, turns over no more

than $100,000

per month _ still the traffic of it passes through some half

in and

must

half dozen different hands to the Colony,

belonging

- necessarily leave

each ___ I look upon this

and 4

ain to

a driblet of gar

as one

of the best

effects of the modification of the opium

monopoly

that

by.

betending the licenses

to several hands instead of one, it raises

up a wholesome competition and Reeps the article at a fair value _ The best evidence of its beneficial working is this _ That the refining of Opium here with its infinitesimal

the fast of its having grown

retail, and

into the favored

:d medium of petty remittances,

has entirely sprung up since the sole monopoly

toas

to ad mo

- dified into the license sijsten

There appears to

On

One:

that wholesome the finan

Soon as

e just

ono

Me as are. Nam

AM CES

As t

way of improving

rely. of the colong may

afford it to abolish that revenue altogether

and to let every struggling chinese who

afford it, buy his ball

Carr

buy his ball of Opium

bock it down for himself without its taxed a

Causes

a

single farthing .

assign

why a larger

universal

.

the following

As

And

being

the

local traffic in this

luxury has not hitherto

up here._____ First _ the

it, as

grown

Thirst _ the retail branch.

o

explained above, must have been hitherto greatly shocked if mot almost. bared by the old monopoly ___ It was the interest of the Sole-farmer, or,

or rather Chinaman

he would consider it to

AJ A

be his interest, to sell a comparatively small

quantity.

at his

Own

price, than a mu

in an

larger, at prices laid down for him

open

and

fairly disputed trade - This hitherto

of the kept down the boiling and refining

here _____ The farmer

drug

ev tras

his own refiner,

And

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.