170 THE OPIUM TKADK. 



jBenpal Opium. Mahva Opium. 



Cheats. Chest.*. 



1820, 3,591 2,-278 



'30, 7,413 12,856 



'35, 14,851 12.933 



'40, 18,965 18 ; 321 



'45, 21,457 20 : 660 



'Iff, 20.000 19,063 



'47, 21,650 20,523 



'48, 28.000 17,490 



? 49, 36.000 > 18,532 



But this is not the whole of the opium ; it is only a part 

 uf that from Mai wa, which passes through Bombay under 

 a jj'.t.x* from Government (British East India Company), 

 and that which is sold at Calcutta for the China market, 

 and for which express stipulations are made by the Hritish 

 (]. I. Government that the opium is to he shipped for 

 China; because, if retained in India and sold there, it 

 would he interfering v>ith another abomination of theirs, 

 to raise money, viz. the establishment of opium smoking 

 shops in their own dominions. To the keepers of these 

 .-hops Government retails any quantity of opium at more 

 profitable rates. 



Nor are the above amounts, as returned, correct, as 

 may be seen from the evidence before the Parliamentary 

 Committee of 1^17, on commercial relations with China, 

 of !'. \V. IVideaux. Kxamiiier of the Kast India House, 

 in which lie stated that the amount of Bombay opium for 

 1*44-45, was L!'., ;")!':} chests, instead of :20,<>f,0 given in 

 the above table ; and for 1<S4-")-4<>, it was stated by opium 

 officers that there were 30,000 chests, instead of 19,063 

 returned ; therefore, it is pretty clear that the true 

 amount of that drug is concealed. However, it is shown 



