rts. Out of 47 headings, 33 show increases, 12
show decreases, and 2 remain stationary. Increases: There was an
increase under rice, flour and grain ... the increase under other
headings include sundries, opium, machinery, etc."

The next Government Report is not so happy. Opium imports show no
"healthy expansion." Thus, the Supplement to the Official Gazette,
Report for 1913 (published 1 February, 1915) says on page 4: "Other
decreases in imports were opium, $109,180. The decrease in opium was
due to the abolition of the Opium Farm, which also held the Labuan
Farm, and opium was therefore no longer imported from Labuan for use in
the West Coast and the Interior."

Still more bad news as to opium, in the report for 1914, (published 1
February, 1916). All imports drop. Page 4 records "Decrease in
imports.... Railway and telegraph material, rice, flour, grain and
opium." In this year the opium imports only amount to $58,464. This
general falling off in all imports may have been due to the war. But
the opium situation was apparently growing serious. On page 17 of this
same report we read that "Thirty-two ordinances were passed by the
Council and became laws during the year. Among them the Opium and
Chandu."

The brevity and meagerness of these official reports often leave one
puzzled as to their meaning. The Supplement to the Official Gazette for
1915 (published October, 1916), shows still more discouraging news as
to opium. Imports that year amounted to only $31,299. But, in spite of
this discouragement, hope still remains. The same report shows optimism
under the head of Excise. "Excise: $627,225, against $467,078, an
increase in the net revenue of $160,147, due to Government taking over
the sole control of the sale of chandu (smoking opium) and the
collection of other Excise duties, formerly farmed."

This explains the Ordinance passed by the Council the preceding year,
regarding Opium and Chandu. Since the Government has taken over "sole
control of the sale of chandu" and will collect the excise duties
systematically and thoroughly, we may still hope for some future report
which will show once more a "healthy expansion" in the opium revenue.

XIV

BRITISH GUIANA

Situated in South America. Area, 89,480 square miles. Population at
census of 1911, excluding aborigines in the unfrequented parts of the
colony, 296,000. The Statesman's Year Book, which gives us these brief
facts, has very little to say abou