24 BRITISH BORNEO. 
There is no published Code of Laws, but the Raja, when 
the occasion arises, issues regulations and proclamations for 
the guidance of officials, who, in criminal cases, follow as much 
as possible the Indian Criminal Code. Much is lett tothe 
common sense of the Judicial Officers, native customs and 
religious prejudices receive due consideration, and there is a 
right of appeal to the Raja. Slavery was in full force when 
Sir JAMES BROOKE assumed the Government, all captives in 
the numerous tribal wars and piratical expeditions being kept 
or sold as slaves. 
Means were taken to mitigate as much as possible the con- 
dition of the slaves, not, as a rule, a very hard one in these 
countries, and to gradually abolish the system altogether, 
which latter object was to be accomplished by 1888. 
The principal item of revenue is the annual sum paid by 
the person who secures from the Government the sole right 
of importing, preparing for consumption, and retailing opium 
throughout the State. The holder of this monopoly is known 
as the ‘‘Opium Farmer,” and the monopoly is termed the 
‘Opium Farm.” These expressions have occasionally given 
rise to the notion that the opium-producing poppy is culti- 
vated locally under Government supervision, and I have seen 
it included among the list of Borneo products in a recent 
geographical work. It is evident that the system of farming 
out this monopoly has a tendency to limit the consumption of 
the drug, as, owing to the heavy rental paid to the Govern- 
ment, the retail price of the article to the consumer is very 
much enhanced. 
Were the monopoly abolished, it would be impossible for 
the Government efficiently to check the contraband importa- 
tion of so easily smuggled an article as prepared opium, or 
chandu, and by lowering the price the consumption would be 
increased. 
The use of the drug is almost entirely confined to the 
Chinese portion of the population. A poll-tax, customs and 
excise duties, mining royalties and fines and fees make up 
the rest of the revenue, which in 1884 amounted to $237,752 
and in 1885 to $315, 264. The expenditure for the same years 
is given by Vice-Consul CADELL as $234,161 and $321,264, 
