The exportations of opium from India during the last quarter of a century, divided into quinquennial periods, have been as follows :-1854-5 to 1858-9, 74,239 chests annual average, 7,884,611/. average aggregate value (106/. a chest); 1859-60 to 1863-4, 68,119 chests, 10,608,648/. (156/. a chest); 1864-5 to 1868-9, 81,976 chests, 10,898,542/. (133/. a chest) ; 1869-70 to 1873-4, 87,840 chests, 11,722,111/. (1331. a chest) ; 1874-5 to 1878-9, 92,797 cheats, 12,175,696/. (131/. a chest). The lowest aggregate value reached during this period was 6,200,871/. in 1855-6, the quantity being 70,626 chests. The highest aggregate was 13,365,2281. in 1871-2, being 93,364 chests. The figures for 1878-9 were 91,200 chests, 12,993,9791., being a decrease caused by deficient crops in Malwa. The export trade is pretty equally divided between Bombay and Calcutta, and is mostly in Jews' hands in both places. The bulk goes to Hong Kong, and the largest proportion of the remainder to Singapore, The exports in 1880 were 144,638 cwt.; of this, 69,633 chests went to Hong Kong, 35,202 to the treaty ports, and 10,586 to Singapore.
In China.—The kind of poppy grown in China seems to be the same as that cultivated in Persia and India—P. somniferum var. 7. album (P. officinale). Though the production of Chinese opium is now considerable, and is, moreover, increasing in a very rapid manner, the chief interest concerning the drug in China has hitherto been centred upon its consumption. The inhabitants of that empire consume not only the whole quantity produced within their own boundaries, but are also customers for about 90 per cent. of the total Indian crop, besides drawing considerable supplies from Asia Minor and Persia. It is computed that 80 per cent. of the native male population throughout China aro addicted to the use of the narcotic, and in the opium-producing districts, the proportion is increased to 50 per cent. Few moderate smokers consume more than 11 lb. in a year, while occasional smokers do not take more than 1 oz. or so. The most immoderate scarcely require more than 4 lb., so that the approximate average all round may be taken at about lb. a head for all classes of smokers. The native production is estimated at about 5,000,000 lb. annually, and the excess demand is sup plied by importations of about 12,000,000 lb. This beiog so, the flourishing success of the opium industry in India,. &c., may he said to depend absolutely upon the maintenance of the trade with China, and this again upon the conditions governing the extent to which the Chinese may or can become their own producers. This subject will receive attention presently. It will be convenient first to consider the modes of cultivating the poppy and preparing its narcotic, as practised by the Chinese, so far as they are known.
In the northern provinces, the cultivation of the poppy requires the richest soil and the utmost care. The plant can be successfully raised only on the terraced slopes, or on the most fertile bottom land, which allows of thorough irrigation, and which is adapted for the cultivation of wheat and garden-stuffs. In the southern and central provinces, on the other hand, the soil is so rich and
fertile that the most suitable lands for are the terraced hill-sides, where the effects of the heavy rains are less felt than in the lowlands. The seed is sown during November. The blossoms appear in April, and mature within a month, thus leaving the ground free for a summer crop. Before the poppies have seeded, an intermediate crop of wheat, maize, cotton or tobacco is put in, the poppy-stalks being cleared off in time to avoid interference with the up-coming shoots, The yield is very uncertain and quite dependent upon the weather, 1 man (say acre) will give a value of 6-11 tads (of 5s. 10d.), according to the season, which is a much higher return than can be got from any other crop. For the collection of the opium, the heads are incised, much the same as in India, by a three-bladed lance, in a series of 3-5 vertical wounds, and the exuded juice is scraped off, and transferred to a small pot hanging at the waist. Of the subsequent manipulation for tho market, little is known, beyond the fact that it is usually sun•dried to a certain consistence, and either mixed with the imported drug, or adulterated with liquorice, inspissated sesamum-juice, &c. ; sometimes it undergoes both operations.
In entering upon a consideration of the circumstances surrounding the present and future pros pects of the opium trade with China, the order most readily followed by the reader will perhaps be that of the Treaty Ports where the trade is carried on, commencing with the southernmost : (1) Kiungchow Foo, in the island of Hainan, province of Kwangtung.—The imports is 1876 were 520 piculs (of 1334 lb.), value 65,050/. In 1877, they were as follows :—Malwa, 320 piculs, 48,667/.; Patna, 388 pietas, 51,0131.; Benares, 16i picas, 20911. And in 1878: Malwa, 2421 piculs, 42,7951.; Patna, 731 piculs, 95,9851.; Benares, 47 piculs, 61251. In 1879, the imports were :—Malwa, 98+ piculs, 18,4091.; Patna, 9921, 133,3001.; Benares, 27, 34141.; total, 1117, 155,1231. The chief feature is the increase of Patna at the expense of Malwa, mainly due to difference in price. The Hainanese have not acquired a taste for Benares, which is used only by emigrants returning from the Straits Settlements. The increase observable in the figures quoted does not imply a greater consumption, but a larger proportion brought by steamer. The total importation from Hong Kong is estimated at 1200 plods yearly for distribution over the north of the island and the southern coast of Leichow. The southern and eastern portions of the island draw their supplies from Singa pore; the quantity cannot be estimated. As yet, no Yunnan, Kweichow, nor Szechuan opium has reached Hainan.