316 THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL productiveness of opium to the Indian Government has not varied so much as might have been anticipated. Examination of the yield for a series of years seems 'to show that the maximum return has been passed. ' GROSS AND ?-?ET REVENUE FROM OPIUM FOR EACH OF THE Yr.?.RS 1869-70 1888-89. ? Year. 1869-70 1870-71 1871-72 1872-73 1873-74 1874-75 1875-76 1876-77 1877-78 1878-79 1880-81 1881-8? 1882-83 1883-84 1884-85 1885-86 1886-87 1887-88 1888-89 Gross Revenue. (000 omitted.) Net Revenue. (000 omitted.) 7,953 6,13'2 8,045 9,253 8,684 8,324 8,556 6,031 7,657 6,870 6,323 6,214 8,471 9,122 9,182 9,399 10,480 9,86? 9,499 9,556 8,816 8,942 8,942 8,515 8,562 6,252 6,280 6,521 7,669 8,2 8,451 7,804 7 216 7,701 5,849 5,884 6,213 6,090 5,964 Omitting the difficult question of the morality of the opium revenue, on which such opposite opinions are held, ? we may notice that it is in reality derived from an export duty applied under the specially favourable conditions of intense demand and monopoly of supply; but for this very reason it is less safe to draw any general conclusion from its operation. s ALCOHOL.--It would have been strange if reformers under the impulse of temperance ideas had not suggested a state monopoly of the production and sale of spirits as at least a partial remedy against excessive drinking. Quite apart from such influences the ? The is taken as equal to ten rupees. ?- For a vigorous defence of the opium tax, see Strachey, pp. 253 264. s There are opium monopolies also at Hong Kong and Singapore, but the former is farmed out.
