:
War sold in Hongkong are legitimately imported from the
Colony on behalf of the Provincial Government, and a
portion is also purchased under its sanction by local communities ostensibly to arm the Train Bands and for their
own protection. But there is not the least doubt that
these latter weapons and ammunition eventually find their
way to a great extent into the hands of the robbers,
brigands and blackmails infesting the district.
The smuggling of arms and ammunition on
foreign steamers is considerable, as is shown by the
seizures made by the Imperial Maritime Customs. But the
Customs Officers seldom make a seizure of a consignment,
of which they have not previous information, and we may
conclude that only a small portion of the arms smuggled
by the crews of vessels under foreign flags is seized,
while the smuggling by native craft from the Colony into
every creek and bay along the coast and up the rivers
must be very many times larger.
The effect of all this lawlessness, added
to the fact that one of the chief sources of its support
is a British Colony, is undoubtedly a very serious matter
both