—
B
588
of opium smoking can only be affected gradually; that as 1 ng as opium is required and used in accordance with the provisions of Chapter II India may lawfully supply it; and that as the practice of opium moking is grad ally extinguished the Indian expert trade will die a natural death.
If, however, the British Goverment were to adopt
a policy of suppression whether immediate or
radual
-
for the Colonies, it would not be consistent with that policy for the Indian Government to go on exporting to the posessions of other countries after suppression had taken effect in our
The present export may be justifiate if and
as long as the importing countries are in fact carry- ing out the gradual suppression provided for in Chapter II, but if other countries were going to lag behind, and refused to take the steps that ha British Government considered necessary for discharging the obligations under Chapter II, the British Government would find it very hard to defend the continued export of opium to such countries.
9 END
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