Circular N. 4142 of the Territorial Department Revenue from the Officiating Secretary to the Government at Bombay Castle, Charles Edward Fraser Tytler, to the Resident in the Persian Gulf [‎18r] (25/44)

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the latter, from whence it is conveyed into Kattiawar, chiefly through the district of Veerum-
gaum. In 1844 the subject again came under discussion. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. submitted
a statement (letter dated the 16th November 1844) showing that since the price of passes
for Malwa opium had been raised, nearly ail the Chiefs had taken less from the depot than
was allotted to them, the difference being supplied by smuggling. In 1846 the same officer
stated (letter dated the 22nd June 1846) that no suspicion is entertained that opium is
exported from any of the ports of Kattiawar to Demaun, but that from the small quantity
c taken from the depot, it was clear that a considerable quantity is imported from Guzerat for
internal consumption.* He admits, however, that no means exist except through the Chiefs
for the prevention of any surplus being shipped at any of the ports, "and more especially at
Diu, for exportation to Demaun, and from thence to China." Like his predecessor, he
attributes the diminished sale of Government opium to the high price at which it is sold, and
also to the inferior quality of the drug lately supplied. The monopoly of the retail sale is sold
by the Chiefs to the highest bidder. The contractor adds Rs. 1 or 2 per seer to the Government
prices, in order to cover his expenses, and thus, by further enhancing the price, encourages
smuggling from Guzerat and Mahva. Several small seizures had been effected of better
quality than that issued from the depot. From these causes combined, instead of 480
maunds* being sold for internal consumption, in 1840-41 only 6 maunds 30|- seers were
disposed of; in 1841-42, 4 maunds 4 seers ; in 1842-43, 120 maunds 17 seers ; in 1843-44,
108 maun^ls 19 seers; in 1844-45, 63 maunds 29| seers; and in 1845-46, 70 maunds and
30 seers.
Mahee Kaunta.—Yox some years past the restrictive system appears to have been altogether
abandoned in this district. On the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. being called upon to state what arrange
ments were in force in regard to opium, and whether the system in Kattiawar had been intro
duced here, he replied (letter from Government dated the 3rd November, and from the Political
Agent dated the 30th November 1843) that " opium is imported from Malwa and Meywar
for retail sale, not only into the Mahee Kaunta, but also into the adjacent Guicowar's
districts." No restriction on the trade exists, unless the drug enters our districts, when if
unprotected by a pass, it is liable to seizure and confiscation. The Kattiawar system there
fore is not in force, and he is not aware of our possessing the right of seizing opium in the
territory ot the Mahee Kaunta tributaries, more than in the neighbouring Guicowar districts.
He thinks an interdict would now be unjust, unless arrangements are adopted for providing
a- supply for internal consumption, and unless compensation is granted to the Chiefs for the
loss they would sustain in transit duties. The Government appear to have admitted (letter
dated the 10th January 1844) that so long as the trade is of a limited extent, and merely
intended to supply what was wanted for local use, there might be no immediate necessity
for prohibiting it. If, however, it was exported to the Coast through the Mahee Kaunta,
Government must prohibit it; and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. was directed to watch the progress
and course of the traffic, to report the quantity annually consumed, and the amount of duty
realized by the Chiefs, with the view of deciding on the amount of compensation to be
awarded to them in the event of the trade being prohibited. I have elsewhere shown
Cparagraph 26, under the head Mahee Kaunta) that the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. is in error in
supposing that the restrictive system was not introduced into this district. At a later period
this officer seems to have admitted his error, and supposes that the relaxation from that
system may have been occasioned by the circumstance that no agreement (letter
dated the 4th April 1846) was ever entered into by the Chiefs of Edur and Ahmed-
nuggur, since as so large a portion of the Mahee Kaunta belongs to them, it would be
comparatively useless to enforce the system in the smaller talookas. He adds (letter dated
the 4th April 184G) that whatever the reason may be, the prohibition is now so little known,
that should it be intended to revive it, the fullest information should be given to tiie Chiefs
I have above stated that this is the quantity which in 1829 was estimated to be required for the internal
consumption of the whole province of Kattiawar.