Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c6.s3.57

c6.s3.57

23. As at no distant period it may be found necessary to look at some other source for augmenting the public revenue, we recommend that your attention may be particularly directed to the best mode for introducing a duty upon Betel Tobacco to operate throughout the provinces under your presidency, and to be calculated upon a principle as moderate as may be deemed consistent with the object of its imposition and at all events not to bear heavily on the consumer. These articles may properly be classed under the denomination of intoxicating drugs. They are of such general consumption that like salt they may be considered to be necessaries of life, and therefore it may be supposed that under proper regulations they might in time be brought to yield a considerable revenue.