CO129-207 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1883 [1-3] — Page 562

496

559

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23RD NOVEMBER, 1872.

At an estimate of 1,050 Taels per chest 1,093 chests of 40 balls each, at $3.80 per ball, giving a gross receipt of

Add receipts from home consumption as per Monopolists'

statement,

FAN-A-WYE's statement.-

Export to California, in 12 months,

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23RD NOVEMBER, 1872.

at 40 balls per chest - Add for local consumption,-

400 chests at 40 balls each, at 80 cents, Amount received for shop licences,

497

144,000 balls at 83.80 = $547,200

16,000 balls

..$12,800.00 17,124.00

29,924

$577,124

....Total $577,124

$166,136

22,884

$189,020

Mr. AGABEG's statement,-

.... Taels 900,000

Coincides with that of Mr. Sassoon,

to Australia,.

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500,000

}}

to Peru, estimated at Taels 150,000, but not included

here as it is likely to be from Macao.

Taels 1,400,000

Mr. LINSTEAD's statement.-

2,000 chests boiled in one year for export to all parts,

40 balls per chest 80,000 balls, at $3.80 per ball,

500 chests boiled in one year for local

consumption, 40 balls per chest-20,000

=53,333 balls at $3.80-$202,665.40 Received from small shops holding licences for local

consumption,...............

25,000,00

Received by the 5 shops composing the guild for local

consumption,........

25,000.00

$252,665.40

balls, at 80 cents per ball,..

Add amount received for shop licenses,.........................

$304,000

$16,000 17,124

$33,124

$337,124

SEE AHOY's statement.-

That Nine times as much Opium in one year is prepared for exportation as home consumption, and by his own partner's statement, 15 chests a month is the quantity for home consumption, therefore the quantity for export would be 135 chests monthly, or 1,620 chests a year, equal to 64,800 balls, at $3.80 per ball, Total amount yielded by retail licences, according to

HE LEONG'S Statement,

$246,240

22,884

$269,124

HO LEONG'S statement.--

Quantity boiled for export to all places, in one year, 36,000

balls, at $3.80 per ball, .

$136,800

Home consumption, retail licences,

Fee of 80 cents a ball on 7,200 balls,.

.$17,124.00 5,760.00

$ 22,884

$159,684

LEE ACHING's statement.-

Export in one year to San Francisco, produce of about Export in one year to Australia, produce of about.............. Export in one year to Peru, Honolulu, Tientsin, Japan, &c.,

produce of about...

each 40 balls=52,000 balls at $3.80,...

700 chests 500

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100

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1,300 chests

$197,600

Local consumption, 400 chests=16,000 balls at

80 cents,.

Amount received for licences,

$12,800 17,124

$29,924

$227,524

Mr. S. D. SASSOON'S statement.-

Taking his smallest figures,...... Deduct for home consumption,..

Leaves for export,

.4,000 chests a year boiled in the Colony.

400

.............................3,600 chests

The above statements, with the exception of those of Messrs. SASSOON and AGABEG, differ so widely from each other, that the Commission have come to the conclusion, that it would not be advis able to accept any one of them as a basis on which to calculate the revenue that ought to be derived from Prepared Opium. Those of Messrs. SassooN and AGABEG, although so much in excess of the others, are, in the opinion of the Commission, entitled to great consideration, those gentlemen being, of all others in the Colony, perhaps the most intimately connected with the Opium trade. Mr. LINSTEAD'S evidence must also be considered of some weight, he having, for some time past, devoted his attention to the subject. Of the statements by Chinese witnesses, the Commission attach most weight to that made by FAN-A-WYE, as regards the bona fides of same, although his statistics, for which he has had to depend on other Chinese, may not be correct.

The statement by SEE AHOY, a member of the firm of Monopolists, as regards the export being nine times more than the quantity consumed in the Colony, can hardly be taken as of any statistic value; the evidence given by him was, as a whole, very unsatisfactory, *

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The statement of Ho LEONG, (Manager of the Yan Wo Hong or Guild which holds the Monopoly) of the quantities boiled in the licensed shops, if correct, does not show a large profit to the Monopolists as compared with the expenses and risk of the undertaking, although the Government should receive these figures with caution, as coming from parties whose interest it is to make them as small as possible; at the same time, the Commission feel bound to state, that Ho LEONG gave his evidence in a straightforward manner and with every appearance of candour.

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In looking at the statement of LEE ACHING, it must be borne in mind, that he was formerly, and is still believed to be, the opponent in trade of the associated five shops, and it seems rather strange to the Commission that if he believed in the figures he has given, that he did not send in a tender the last time the Monopoly was competed for.

The Commission are of opinion that the most reliable calculation, would be one based on the relative numbers of Chinose, located in the State of California, and adjacent territories, to those in Australia, taking the quantity of Prepared Opium ascertained to be shipped to the latter as correct, or nearly so, and adding to or diminishing same pro rata, as the number of Chinese in California, &c., may be found to exceed, or fall short, of those in Australia.

The Commission have unfortunately been unable to obtain official or printed statistics of these respective populations, although they have made enquiries in every quarter in the Colony where they were likely to be found, the Executive, however, can doubtless obtain them in course of a few months: in the meantime, judging from the statements made from memory by various gentlemen in the Colony acquainted with the subject, although unable to give precise data, it might be safe to assume, that the Chinese population of California, &c., exceeded that of Australia, by fifty per cent, in which case, the calculation would stand thus:-

To Australia, as per exact statistics obtained,.

To California, &c., 50 per cent more than above,

To Portland, Oregon, Honolulu, Dunedin, Tientsin, &c.,

=1,599 chests, 40 balls each=63,960 balls at $3.80 each,... Add for home consumption,

Taels 651,600

32

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977,400 50,000

Taels 1,679,000

$243,048 22,884

$265,932