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There was some cultivation, but it was said that
the plant grew wild. I have seen small plots of
cultivation—up to half an acre.
When the prohibition issued, there was immedi-
ate effect on the few Burmans. But it had no
effect on the natives of India, who suffered some
inconvenience for a few days, but soon got as much
as ever. They got it from Upper Burma. It was
smuggled across. I left that part in 1875 and
came to Rangoon. When I came to Rangoon, I
found the drug a saleable article. It is so still.
They used to smuggle it by baughy parcel post.
I have myself seized hundreds of tins. The tins
would weigh from 50 to 200 tolas. There is now
a cheek on this smuggling by post, and the smug-
glers have to take to other means of smuggling,
The check is due to so many seizures being made
and my getting many of the post peons into my
confidence. An order was also issued that parcels
for regiments should be opened in presence of the
Adjutant. Parcels found to contain ganja were
made over to the civil authorities. I understand
that this order was issued by Government. The
parcels came from Madras post and were addressed
to Madras sepoys.
Discoveries of smuggled parcels were also made
in the hands of merchants in the town. It was
difficult to obtain conviction, because they would
plead that they did not know what the parcels con-
tained. I used to make discovery of parcels and
follow them up. Even if conviction were not ob-
tained, the stuff would be destroyed. If facts did
not justify a trial, the magistrate receiving the
report would only order destruction. There are, no
doubt, returns of these cases in office. I have my-
self no figures.
If I discovered a case through a peon I would
share the reward with him by private arrangement.
But if the postal authorities discovered a parcel
they would get the reward. But they did not
make many discoveries—only three or four cases in
several years, perhaps from a tin happening to
break or something of that kind. This postal
smuggling has been much less for the last five years.
Now ganja comes over in false-bottomed bas-
kets, beds with ganja in pillows, etc., packed up in
fish or meat, and carried on the person. It is dealt
with chiefly by the Customs officers. General
cargo can pass if every part is not examined ; but
I cannot speak definitely as to efficiency of ex-
amination. We only deal with the matter, as a
rule, when the stuff has eluded the Customs De-
partment. The other day I sent information to
Mr. Wiseman at Mandalay about a large consign-
ment of ganja having passed packed with cigars in
cigar boxes, and he seized it. This illicit traffic
has only come to my notice on steamers and not on
native craft. The native craft are well watched at
Rangoon. The Customs authorities are very
strong on this. But I do not think there is any
watch at all on native craft on the coast.
I have heard often of sealed tins of ganja being
thrown overboard from steamers and picked up by
boats. I have caught such cases by following
steamers. But we work at great disadvantage, as
we cannot fix the spot where such tins are to be
thrown. And if we catch a man, he says, "I saw
this floating and picked it up. I do not know
what it is. " We can then destroy the stuff, but
can hardly obtain a conviction.
The Customs people board native craft coming
into the river at Elephant Point. I think that
cargo could be got rid of before reaching that point
by dropping it along the coast.
There have been a few seizures on Calcutta
ships, but nothing like what have been on Madras
ships. Ships are fined too where unclaimed ganja
is found ; and I hear that the agents make officers
responsible for their own parts of the ship. I have
only heard this of Calcutta ships. The Madras
smuggling is principally from the French settle-
ment of Pondicherry.
Mr. Culloden's figures show increase in seizures.
I think this is due to the increase of immigration
of natives of India, who use the drug, and also to
the extension of the Excise Act to Upper Burma
and the recent measures taken to restrict cultiva-
tion there. There is a great deal more ganja
brought into Burma now. Formerly it was one
rupee a tola. Now it is four annas only in the
bazar.
I am afraid I must say that the prohibition is
ineffective in Rangoon. The consumers get their
ganja all the same, and hundreds are getting a
living by it. It is only in cases of enmity that
they inform on each other.
My excise agency is one inspector, four sergeants
and two peons. This is all for Rangoon and
Hanthawaddy. The police have also powers as
Excise Officers. They help for the reward. No
reward is given when there is no conviction and
fine, except in important cases, when special re-
wards are applied for. I think my establishment
quite insufficient to deal with this matter. It has
to deal with all illicit practices regarding spirits,
opium and drugs, and look after the shops as well.
I do not believe that ganja could be stopped even
by an army of officials and constant interference
with the people. If they could not get it other-
wise, they would send small quantities in letters.
I do not know what would happen if ganja were
not produced elsewhere ; but so long as there is
ganja available in India they will have it in
Burma.
Our preventive measures undoubtedly lead to
oppression. False charges are frequent. A small
piece of ganja is put under a man's bedding. I
have even asked often to have such cases thrown
out as false. It is common in case of enmity, as,
for example, one policeman against another, espe-
cially if there is a woman in the case. Ganja is
more frequently used in this way than opium, be-
cause it is cheaper. Ganja is not only weight for
weight cheaper than opium, but the ganja habit is
also a cheaper habit. Two annas' worth of ganja
will last a man three days, while one pill or two
pills of opium will cost six pice. I think eight
pies a day for ganja and three annas for opium re-
presents the ordinary consumer's supply. I do
not know the qualities of ganja. I only know the
smell. Natives prefer Indian ganja and we seldom
now find the fresh or green Upper Burma ganja.
There is no smuggling from the East, the Siam
direction, into Rangoon.
It is difficult to discover the true dealers in.
ganja. They keep out of the way and pay the
fines for their servants. But I have caught four
such dealers. When information is got that such
a place is a place of vend it changes, and the con-
sumers alone know where the new place is.
When the Burmans in Thayetmyo found their
ganja supply stopped they took to opium. Find-
ing it too strong to smoke and too troublesome to
prepare, the Chinamen introduced a mixture of
dried leaf and opium fried together. The pipe.
they use is a foot long with a small tube six inches
from the bottom with four inches of water in it.
The smoke passed through that. The Burmans
learned that. But that is also now prohibited.
The Burman consumers, however, were very