The new Chinese treaty with America is an ominous one
for India. The Chinese Government concedes to that 'of the United States the right 'ho limit or suspend the immigration of Chinese labourers when it considers it essential to do so, but 'the 'United States concedes in return that its subjects shall neither import opium into Chinese ports, nor deal in opium when im- ported. That means that the Chinese Government intends to make it a cardinal object of its policy to prohibit foreign opium altogether, which would enable it to establish an internal monopoly, and immensely increase its available revenue. It is sure to press that point at the next opportunity upon England, and will have this argument to put forward,—that every other State is allowed to regulate its own taxes, and that India does at this momentprohibit the importation of opium. That argu- ment is most diffioult to resist, much more difficult than the teetotal argument, which in China is insincere; and a stop- page of the opium trade, in the circumstances of India, would mean bankruptcy.
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