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We might next read G. Lucas’s interesting Memorandum on the opium of
Persia in the Gulf Residency Administration Report for 1878-79, (page 31).
In that report reviewing the trade statistics for 1878, the Political Resident
wrote
“When the Persian opium trade was in its infancy, the drug was sent in sailing vessels
to Java and thence re-shipped in steamers for Singapore and Hongkong. The
Dutch Government, however, having imposed certain restrictions at Java, Aden was
subsequently selected as a port of transhipment, and later Suez, at which port no duty is
levied for transhipment. The Persian Steam Navigation Company now send occasional
steamers Irom the Gulf to Gallo for conveyance of opium, when a sufficient quantity is
collected to remunerate by freight. Poppy having risen in price in Europe, considerable
quantity was in 1878, shipped hence to England for the first time.”
I ■
In the statement below we pick up the figures in the years 1887,* 1896,
1899, 1900 and 1901, showing the several countries to which opium was exported
:
■ by direct shipping from Bushire and Bundar Abbas
Exports of opium to several countries from Bushire.

1887. 1896. 1899. 1900. 1901.

Chests or Chests or Chests or Chests or lbs.
cases. cases. cases. cases.
China ... 1,772 2,127 4,339 4.27S 530, no
United Kingdom 1,141 8,367 234 35* 77.840
Egypt 22 *4 56 S.320
India ... Ml Ml 7
Constantinople *5 Ml
Suez ««• 10 tee • ee
i Maskat ... 1 2 eel tee

The exports of opium from Bundar Abbas were as follows :—
!

To China. To India.

Chests or Chests or
cases. cases.
In
1887 •ee 1,605
1891 eee 474
1899 725
1900 226 \
1901 372 55
In 1887 the steamers of the following companies were engaged in con­
veying opium to China:—
(1) The British India Steam Navigation Company.
(2) The Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Company.
(3) The Persian Gulf Steamship Company.
In 1896* we find the opium trade with China carried on mainly by the
steamers of the first two companies, while only 29 of 3,344 chests were carried
by miscellaneous ” to China.
The following statements show the growth of a fluctuations in, the exports
of opium from, Persia by sea by way of the Persian Gulf:—
♦ We have goi no separate statistics on this matter since 1902.