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 Dated Barrackpore, 22nd April, 1869.

Demi-official from—The, Lieutenant Governor of Bengal,

To—, Esq.

639. I have a telegraphic message from Simla, urging "that every possible expedient that you (I) approve should be used even now to extend the opium cultivation next season to the utmost practicable extent."

640. From all accounts it is not practicable to do anything more in the Behar Agency. The figures you sent me the other day show the area of cultivation to have been larger in 1867-68 than in any previous year, and Abercrombie seems positive that it cannot be further stretched without taking up altogether new fields of operation.

641. But are you quite satisfied that the fullest possible extension (that is, of course, under existing circumstance, and without an increase of price) is being pushed in the Benares Agency? I see from the figures you sent me that the cultivation of that agency was in 1863-64 358,000 beegahs, which gave the large yield of 51,542 maunds, an average of 5-11¾ per beegah. In 1867-68 the cultivation was 265,572 beegahs. If Carnac should see his way to doing anything more than he has done already to extend the cultivation for next season, you need not hesitate to sanction it at once.

Minute by, dated 27th April, 1869.

642. On the general question of the opium supply I do not wish to controvert anything which Mr. Strachey has written in his Minute of the 20th.

643. In the general principles on which his opinion is based, I concur.

644. '''I am clear for extending the cultivation, and for ensuring a plentiful supply. If we do not do this, the Chinese will do it for themselves. They had better have our good opium than their own indifferent opium. There really is no moral objection to our conduct in this respect'''.

645. I, therefore, quite agree with Mr. Strachey in the general policy of increasing the cultivation.

646. But I think that even here caution is required. If we suddenly increased it in every direction, and if after that there ensued a "bumper" harvest, we might have more opium on our hands than we could dispose of, and, inasmuch as we must pay for all that is brought by our ryots, the expenditure would be great.

(Extracts from) No. 533, dated 14th May, 1869.

From—, Esq., Offg. Secy. to the Govt. of India, ,

To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal.

687. I am directed in continuation of my letter No. 2069, dated