On the Maritime Covimcrce of Bengal. 337 



depriving them of a freight of salt to Bengal, and having- 

 nothing to substitute but n)oncy for llieir purchases, it ope- 

 rated for many years as a severe check on this branch of 

 trade. A more hberal policy was adopted by lord Corn- 

 wallis, by drawing part of the annual supply of salt from 

 the coast, which, with many other advantages, aflbrdcd 

 considerable encouragement both to native and European 

 shipping. Since that period this trade has begun to revive, 

 and we may now rate the tonnage of vessels belonging to 

 and navigated by natives, which annually visit Bengal, from 

 all quarters, including the Maldivian vessels, and those 

 from the coast of Malabar and Muscat, at 10,000 tons. 

 Their exports are principally grain and pulse, with some 

 coarse sugar, long pepper, ginger, and silk and cotton piece 

 goods, which may be estimated at about five lacks of cur- 

 rent rupees ; and, added to the exports for this coast on 

 ships navigated by or belonging to Europeans, make 39 

 lacks of current rupees. 



After the Coromandel trade, we place that to the east- 

 ward, and China; and, were our scale of precedence deter- 

 mined by the capital it employs, exclusive of shipping, or, 

 in other words, by the value of its exports only, it would 

 stand next in rank to that of Europe : but we cannot hold 

 any branch of trade which requires a capital of iifty-five 

 lacks of rupees, and an outlay of twelve months, to give 

 employment to 1 1,000 tons of shipping, equal to that which 

 employs 84,000 tons on a capital of thirty-four lacks only, 

 and which returns the outlay in eight or ten weeks. 



The grand article which supports the eastern trade is 

 opium. Tills fascinating drug has ever been in great re- 

 quest amono^st all eastern nations, but more particularly 

 among the Malays. In its oblivious fume (for they gene- 

 rally smoke it) they find refuge from every care and anxiety ; 

 and, when the evils of life press beyond their powers of 

 endurance, taken in another form, it excites the devoted 

 wretch to deeds of horror and destruction. 



Amongst this sanguinary people, all ranks and ages, who 

 have the n;eans of procuring it, use opium without restraint ; 

 and the Chinese, notwithstanding it is prohibited bv their 

 laws under severe penalties, appear to be e(]ually fontl of the 

 drug. It was formerly difHcult to inif)ort opium into China, 

 and the quantity sold there was trifling ; but, in defiance of 

 prohibitory laws, the consumption of China cannot now be 

 rated at less than half the quantity exported from Hengal. 



By the company's sales for the year 1793-4, it appears 

 that 4,520 chests of I'atna opium were delivered to the 



Vol. 21. No. b4. Ma7j ifaoj. Y Dutch 



