CO129-233 - Acting Governor Cameron - 1887 [6-8]

## Step 1 The given text is an OCR output of a historical record related to Hong Kong, specifically a discussion on the opium trade and legislation around it in the Legislative Council. The task is to proofread this text, correcting errors, and formatting it into standard Markdown. ## Step 2 First, we need to correct spelling errors. Upon reviewing the text, several spelling mistakes are identified, such as "smugling" instead of "smuggling", "neccessary" is not present but "boon indeed, and in fact was almost absolutely necessary" is correctly spelled, "Conncil" instead of "Council", and "TORNEY-GENERAL" seems to be a typo and should be "ATTORNEY-GENERAL". ## Step 3 Next, we need to fix spacing issues, including removing extra spaces and adding missing ones. For example, "a smugling base" should be "a smuggling base", and there are instances where words are run together or have unnecessary spaces between them. ## Step 4 We also need to rejoin broken sentences. The OCR output sometimes splits sentences across lines or columns without logical reason. For instance, the text "Well after consideration, and having regard in making them accept the proposal than any- thing else." seems to be a broken sentence and should be rejoined or corrected for clarity. ## Step 5 Restore paragraph breaks where the OCR has incorrectly merged or split paragraphs. The original text has several paragraphs that need to be reformatted for better readability. ## Step 6 Indicate missing words with `...` if a word is clearly missing due to OCR damage. There are a few instances where words or characters are missing or unclear. ## Step 7 Format the text in Markdown. This includes using headers (#, ##, ###), bold-type (**bold**), and tables using Markdown table syntax where necessary. ## Step 8 Ensure that file references are formatted correctly without any spacing inside parentheses, as per the guidelines. ## Step 9 Page numbering information should be kept as is if it follows the specified format (e.g., "Page 363" appearing three times at the top and three times at the bottom). ## Step 10 Reorder text from newspapers if necessary, to make sense of the content, and reconstruct tables if data is clearly in a table format. ## Step 11 For Chinese text, if writing direction is from right to left, reverse it to left to right to meet modern reading habits. ## Step 12 Finally, output the proofread text in HTML using `

` for paragraphs and `
` only when absolutely necessary. The final answer is:

Committee,

On

a smuggling base. It was thought the proper course was to prevent the export of opium in quantities less than one chest. Every one who has had anything to do with watching the operations of Chinese smugglers knows that they are very fertile in devices for evading customs duties. Well, after consideration, and having regard to the fact also that when the Additional Article came into force, a large portion of the legitimate retail trade would naturally pass to Canton, Fatshan, and other centres, it was thought for legitimate trade it would be enough to allow a small station to be established on the other side of the border where the chests could be taken and broken up.

I am directed to signify that as the dealers have expressed themselves willing to accept the conditions the Committee have no objections to offer." As your Excellency has stated, that was submitted to the Peking Government, and they asked for a modification, that nothing less than chests should go to any port but Canton.

...except in junks—a modification which was absolutely within their own power, they would do, namely, that no opium should be admitted into open ports by steamer except in chests. Atwatow, Amoy, and Poochow no opium is admitted in quantities less than one chest.

Therefore, in asking this, they have only asked that which they have themselves power to order. The Ordinance, as the Attorney-General has said, now comes on for second reading.

A point of difference has been raised not when proposer approved by the Government and others who were consulted before it was submitted. We agreed that it should be recommended to prevent export unless in full chests. Of course it was open to them to make suggestions, and my hon. friend (Hon. C. P. Chater) has put forward what was practically the scheme accepted by China in the first instance. But there are certain surroundings about the present changes which have made the Chinese Government feel that it is much stronger than the first one put forward.

The scheme as put forward now proposes that telegraphic information should be given to the Customs as to the opium delivered. Retailed opium can only be given to the junk masters or the masters of Canton steamers. Immediately opium is delivered to a junk master or steamer, the Customs are to be informed, and there are also arrangements that the Customs should report back to the Government any opium that had left this place and that had not paid duty at the revenue stations.

I think it is due to H.M.'s Minister at Peking and to Sir Robert Hart and his representative here to say that every facility they could put in the way for the modified proposals being accepted have been freely granted. Of course, if it is found the arrangement will not work, the Government will have to fall back on the old plan of full chest export, but whether it works well or not depends chiefly on the good faith of the retail dealers concerned.

If they conduct their business honourably, as they have undertaken through one of the members of Council to do, and through the Chamber of Commerce, there will be no necessity to take the other course, but if they set about devising means to evade the Bill, a stronger measure will have to be brought forward and they will only have themselves to thank.

The Home Government is clearly determined to stop smuggling. The Smuggling Commission which sat in 1882, and whose report has been referred to several times already, said:

They will not receive any opium unless what comes in chests—nor will they part with any except to a junk master or Canton steamer officer—and must have permits for shipment and keep receipts from junk masters. They will keep records, attach certificates of sale, and permit search for deficiency at all times.

There are other conditions, but these are the main ones. Now, there is an absolute definite proposal made by Mr. Chater, that these people should enter into bonds for $5,000.

The great increase which has taken place in the love of Lekin and other taxes upon foreign opium on the Mainland has led, within the last two years, to an organised system of smuggling from the colony to places at some considerable distance within the neighbouring province of Kwangtung.

Bands of men are touring the country, to whom are given a certain number of balls or cakes of opium by dealers in this colony, who undertake to pay the bearer of this opium so many dollars per ball or cake delivered at a named place in the interior.

The Bill was then read a second time.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I move that we go into Committee on this Bill.

The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.

Hon. A. P. MACEWAN—Before going into Committee, I wish, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, to ask for a short delay. The Bill has only been circulated to-day, and the members have not had the opportunity of going carefully through it.

The SURVEYOR-GENERAL—Where is the Superintendent's office to be?

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL—At the Harbour Master's Office for the present.

...

27th May, 1887.

The Council went into Committee on the Opium Bill.

In Section 9, the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved an amendment, substituting for the words "Harbour Master," "an officer to be appointed by the Government to be named the Superintendent of Imports and Exports, herein after called the Superintendent."