New-York tribune., 1879-03-28
Pounds. I Value.

The duty on crude opium is 81 a pound, on
opium prepared for smoking it is SO a pound and
! the importation Of crude opium containing less
than per cent of mOrphia is pro-
hbted. Now 1t appears that opium which
| contains as much as per cent OF
morphia does not answer the purposes of the
manufa cturer who prepares opium for smoking as
we'll as the inferior and cheaper grades, which con-
| tain from 2 TO per cent of morphia. Only these
latter grades are used to any extent for that pur-
pose.
The Treasury officers learning that manufactory
TO prepare opium for smoking has been established
in New-Jersey, and that two or more of the same
sort are in operation In San Francisco. sus-
pected that low grades of opium were
being brought into this country contrary to law,
and they instituted an investigation. Thirty
cases imported by a San Francisco firm through
New-York and taken TO San Francisco in bond
were submitted to a chemist for examination, who
found that only three OF the thirty cases contained
op,um of the required standard. In his re-
port the Inspector says: In its general
appearance and sensible properties 1t closely re-
sembles the best Turkey OPIUM and i'll the absence
of chemical analysis would deceive an ordinary
expert. This opium is unreliable for medicinal
purposes and is evidently the article required by
Chinese manufacturers for the purpose OF being
Transmitting this report the collector at San Fran
cisco declares that prepared opium from the factory
IN New-Jersey has reached that city, that he has
been informed by Chinese firm that since the
order of the Secretary of the Treasury was issued
recurring a chemical analysis of opium enter ed at
| New York the importers had made an arrangement
with some inspector at that port under which
! they hOppd to introduce the drug unlaw-
| fully, and that ho had received information
through broker that the San Francisco firm above
mentioned intended in future to pay the duty on
! their importatons of crude opium in New-lOrk and
that he had therefore, determined to seize all crude
opium consigned to them and subject it to a chem
| ical test
special agent of the treasury at San Francisco
reports that the duties collected at that port upon
! prepared opium have for years been not less than
| 100000 a year, and have sometimes reached
| S4OO OOO and says: "This entire revenue is likely
| 10 be cut OFT by the proposed manuiac-
| ture loss wholly in the interest
and for the benefit of an alien class" F"
| He recommends that tax of say So pound he laid
! on all Opinm prepared for smoking in the United
| States. He remarks that the manufacture is al
ready carried on in stealthy manner in that city,
aud that the of the pernieIous drug
! Is spreading among Americans. In later
report he states that there are two establishments
in San Francisco, where from 10000 to 10000
pOunds of opium are prepared for smoking each
year, and adds that from the simplicity OF tue pro-
cess it is difficult to ascertain how much is prl-
! vately prepared as il wOuld be to find ont the
amount OF rice boiled in a given time. Writing
November 4, he states that the last three steamers
! from China nave brought from eighty 10 ninety
boxes each, q box containing forty-One pounds of
smoking opium.
II is the opinion of the Treasury officer that
nearly all of tne opium prepared at the two fac,
tories at Victoria. British Columbia, IS smugged
into the United States overland, there beng little
OF no demand for it where it is prepared The
duty on crude opium introduced into British
Columbia is only 17l2 per cent ad valorem.
! against 81 pound for Its entry into
the United States Among the remedies
proposed to stop the loss of revenue from this
are 1st THAT each box Of prepared opium pass
ing the Custom House shall receive custom
stamp, in the of each box of cigars imported.
"a. That tue duty on crude opium shall be III
creased to So or $3 pound. 3D.. That an in
ternal revenue tax shall I've collected on all opiums
manufactured for smokers i'll the United States.
The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is of opin-
ion that such tax could be collected without much
trouble or great expense and that il would add
from 100000 to 100000 year TO the revenue.
Tue matter is under Amusement by the Treasury
Department, and il is highly probable that Congress
Will he applied to for legislation tue subject at
early daV, Z.Lw.