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 [‎21v] (32/44)

[ 22 ]
prices in China. If opium is smuggled from Malwa and the adjoining States, this would
not seem to justify a general prohibition against its export from Malwa m whatever d.reC.on,
except on payment of duty ; but rather to demand increased vigdance to prevent smngg ing
into British territory. . , .
43 The Honorable Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. , concurring in these views, entirely approved (letteia
to the Government of India, dated the 17th June 1846) of the Government ot India having
declined to authorise any attempt to obtain the co-operation of Native States in measures or
preventing the transit from Malwa to the sea of opium unprotected by a pass observing,
that the evil effects of the restrictive system, which rendered its abandonment in K — com
pulsory, should operate as a warning against resorting to any proceedings for the prevention
of smuggling beyond the adoption of suitable precautious, and the exercise ol due vigilance
within our territory. t ,
44. The principal routes by which Malwa opium is conveyed to Guzerat appeal to be
the following :— i . i t i o j f i
Mahee Kaunta. (Letter from 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. at Palhunpore, dated the Srd le )-
ruarv 1844.)-It is brought™! Megraj, Bakrola, Roopaul, and Ahmednuggur,to Beejapore,
where, as I have already shown, a large stock is kept in depot, and sold lor retail in the
Ouicowar territory and in the Mahee Kaunta of late years ; also a considerable quantity is
openlv bought and sold at the fair annually held at Samlajee, but the Political Superin
tendent believes that this is chiefly obtained from Mey war, the opium of which province is
inferior to that of Malwa. The opium of Meywar is likewise introduced into the Mahee
Kaunta via Pole. m * a \ r\ -
Baroda. (Letter from the Resident at Baroda, dated the 10th February 1844 )-Opium is
imported direct from Rutlam via Dohnd, Barriah, Mulloo, and Jeynode. It is likewise
imported from Indore, via Allee-Mohun, Oodeypore, and Jun-Khuna, but of late jcais this
route has been quite deserted, that of Barriah being preferred.
Palhunpore. (Letter from 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. , dated the - ith October 1843.)—There
are two routes by which it is imported from Rutlam, one via Banswarra, Sangwarra, and
Don^urpoor, and from thence through bye-roads to Beejapore, where a great trade in
smu -led opium is carried on, and from whence it is sent for sale into the Gu .cowar districts,
and even into Kattiawar. The other is ci« Godra, and from thence into all the districts
smith of the river Mahee. By the first it is conveyed either on camels or bullocks, but
eenerallv the latter, in baskets containing about 3* maunds. The Political Superintendent
States that it is brought chiefly for internal consumption, " little, if any, finding its way to
the coast for export." In former times, when the Uamaun trade flourished, the c rug was
clandestinely conveyed " by Bigarees" via Rajpeempla, Mandavee, Beara Metapore, \ ansda,
and Dhurrumpore. (Letter from Mr. Langford, dated the 23rd March 1841.) I he Raj-
neempla route, however, is stated to have been rarely resorted to: the difficult country to >c
traversed, the many Chiefs requiring to be bribed, and the expense of carriage, rendered
the undertaking unprofitable. The principal route adopted was through Kattiawar, onter-
ino- the province to the north of Drangdra, and proceeding by Moorvee and Joonaghur to one
oflhe southern ports. The drug was conveyed on camels, often as many as 100 at a time,
,ricked in dubbers with a small quantity of ghee at the top of each, to give the semblance ot
he parties in charge being traders in that article. The trade was connived at by the Chiefs
1 Kattiawar, in consideration of the douceurs they received. This traffic, however, was extiu-
o-uished under the operation of Regulation XX. of 1830, and the restrictive measures adopted
Tn smioort of it. In 1841, the Collector of Continental Customs stated his belief (lettei dated
the 0 8th March 1841) that it had ceased chiefly from two causes: ls<, from dimiuisiet
demand in China ; and 2nd, from the difficulty experienced by those engaged in the illicit
trade in passing the drug by the Scinde route since our occupation* of that country. I his
* This refers to a period prior to the conquest of Scinde, to which the snpport of our opium monopoly lias been
erroneously ascribed.