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 [‎25v] (40/44)

[ 2 ]
two ports at which a foreign opium trade could spring up, are not approachable by land,
except through British territory.
7. But we have not that complete control over the sea-board of this Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. ; we have
no direct power over the ports of Kattiawar and Kutch, belonging to Native States; and if
we were to admit the free passage of Malwa opium by land through those States, there
would be nothing to prevent every seer of such opium travelling by a circuitous route along
the skirts of British territory to their ports, and thence to Damaun. I apprehend, therefore,
that it will be impossible altogether to abandon the system of restrictive arrangements in
Native States, and that it will be found expedient, if it is practicable, to render them general
and complete.
8. I am aware that both the Supreme Government and the Honorable Court have ex
pressed themselves opposed to any attempt to obtain the co-operation of the Native States in
measures for preventing the transit of Malwa opium to the sea uncovered by our passes.
The principle on which this opposition is founded, if fully carried out, would oblige us not
only to refrain from any new engagements, but also to cancel all now existing ; and this
would soon be followed by a revival of the trade at Damaun. and the destruction of our
opium pass revenue.
9. It does not appear from Mr. Willoughby's summary by what means we procured the
assent of the different States to our restrictive measures. We seem not to have paid them
any compensation, nor to have made to them any corresponding sacrifices. We asked them
to support our monopoly, and they readily consented. But it may be doubted whether in
any case such consent can be deemed perpetual, and binding for all time on the Native States.
No solemn treaties or engagements based on the exchange of mutual advantage have been
entered into. Evils to them or their subjects, not then contemplated by the Chieftains, may
have since become apparent, and they may desire to recede from engagements entered into
for the support of a system no longer existing. This may be more particularly the case
where we have ourselves allowed those enofao-ements to fall into disuse.
o o
10. I question whether, if we determine (which I fear we must do in order to secure our
pass revenue) to prevent the transit to the coast of all Malwa opium not covered by a pass,
we shall not have again t6 enter into specific engagements with all Native Chiefs through
whose districts the drug can proceed, based upon the principle of mutual convenience and
reciprocal profit. We have no right to expect, that in order to uphold a system from which
w T e derive an enormous revenue, they will subject themselves or their people to loss or
inconvenience, without receiving from us a reasonable compensation. If we require their
co-operation, we must be prepared to pay them what it is worth.
11. However perfect may be our arrangements with those Native States which have
ports of their own, or whose lands approacli our ports so closely that the transit across can
be a matter of little difficulty, we shall have done little towards forcing the whole produce of
Malwa to our emporium, Bombay, under pass, unless we have the means of preventing all
opium not covered by a pass from finding its way to other places on the coast through our
own territory.
12. This was a matter of comparatively easy accomplishment when we had our custom
stations on the Malwa frontier, and at numerous places at short distances from each other
along every route, at which all merchandize was subject to examination, and when, more
over, after reaching the coast, every article of traffic was subject to a duty, if taken by sea
to any other port. But the case is much altered now that not a single custom naka exists
throughout the whole length and breadth of our territory, with the exception of a few on the
Damaun and Goa frontiers, and that after goods have arrived at the sea side they may be
exported without payment of duty, and therefore are subjected to no rigorous examination.
13. For this state of things it is most difficult to find a remedy : vigilance can do nothing,
for there are no means of exerting it. There are no persons whose duty it is to be vigilant.
W r e trust to the chance of informers discovering to us the passage of opium without passes,