170 THE OPIUM TRADE. 



Bengal Opium. Malwa Opium. 



Chests. Chests. 



1820, 3,591 . - 2,278 



30, 7,443 12,856 



35, 14,851 12,933 



40, 18,965 18,321 



45, 21,457 20,660 



46, 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 

 of that from Malwa, which passes through Bombay under 

 &pass 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 British 

 E. I. Government that the opium is to be shipped for 

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

 would be interfering with another abomination of theirs, 

 to raise money, viz. the establishment of opium smoking 

 shops in their own dominions. To the keepers of these 

 shops 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 1847, on commercial relations with China, 

 of F. W. Prideaux, Examiner of the East India House, 

 in which he stated that the amount of Bombay opium for 

 1844^5, was 29,593 chests, instead of 20,660 given in 

 the above table ; and for 1845-46, 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 



