al throughout the empire.

According to Mr. E. Thornton's statistics, the production of opium in
Bengal has increased cent. per cent. in the last ten years:--

Chests.
1840-41 17,858
1841-42 18,827
1842-43 18,362
1843-44 15,104
1844-45 18,350
1845-46 21,437
1846-47 21,648
1847-48 30,515
1848-49 36,000

The chest is about 140 lbs., so that the production in 1849 was
5,040,000 lbs.

According to the statements annexed to the statistical papers relating
to India, the income from the opium monopoly is obtained by two
principal means, namely, by a system of allowing the cultivation of
the poppy by the natives of British India on account of Government,
and by the impost of a heavy duty on opium grown and manufactured in
foreign states, but brought in transit to a British port for
exportation. The former system obtains in Bengal, the latter in
Bombay. According to the statements published, Bengal opium yields a
profit of 7s. 6d. per lb., whilst the duty derived in the Bombay
presidency is only equal to a surplus of 5s. 8d. per lb. By these
means the total revenue realised by the opium monopoly, in Bengal and
Bombay, in the year 1849-50 yielded L3,309,637.

Lest objection should be taken to this large annual revenue derived
from the cultivation of a drug, the unnatural consumption of which
would be suppressed under any other European government, the Court of
Directors is very anxious to show the benefit which the country
derives from this monopoly; they say "that as the price of opium is
almost wholly paid by foreign consumers, and the largest return is
obtained with the smallest outlay, the best interests of India would,
appear to be consulted." Nobody at all acquainted with the financial
resources and the capabilities of any country, would hazard such an
assertion. By paying cultivators for the restricted growth of the
poppy a price hardly yielding more than the average rate of wages to
the common laborer, I do not see in what way the best interests of
India are consulted, nor is it clear that the population derives any
benefit by being prohibited altogether from manufacturing a drug,
which may be brought from another country _in transitu_ on the payment
of a heavy duty; unless indeed the Court of Directors are of opinion
that in the event of the abolition of the monopoly, the people of th