COPY.
Enclosure 1.
76
8, Des Voeux Road Central,
Hongkong, 22nd, January-
Sir,
11846
Ho Khay
complainant
Y
RECE REGE 10 APR 13
Lacey Woodward
defendant.
Mr. Melbourne on the 19th. instant granted a Warrant against
the above named Defendant, & partner in the firm of Howarth and Company Commission Agents in this Colony, on the charge of the unlawful con- -version of twelve chests of opium the property of the complainant.
The facts of the case are snortly as follows:-
On the 31st. of December last twelve chests of opium were shipped from the Colony by the Defendant on the French Mail 3. S. "Caledonien" for London. The opium had been purchased on behalf of our client by the firm of Messrs. Howarth and Company and stored by them in their own godown, our client receiving the usual receipt to the effect that Messrs. Howarth and Company were holding the goods on his account.
It appears that Woodward, without our client's instructions
or knowledge, shipped the opium out of the Colony by the S. S. "Caledo- -nien" at the same time leaving Hongkong by that boat himself. As soon as he became aware of this fact our client left for Singapore on the 2nd. of January by direct boat in order, if possible, to intercept the
opium there. This, however, he failed to do, and we have been advised
by cable from Singapore that the opium was still on board the "Caledoni -ien" at Colombo, but that there was no passenger on board under the name of Woodward.
We have ascertained, from enquiry at the French Mail Office, that the bill of lading was applied for by Woodward and in it the shipper was described as "F. Mantei" and the goods were consigned to "order" at "London". The bill of lading is apparently in the possession
of the Defendant.
We accordingly applied to Mr. Melbourne and obtained a
warrant for the arrest of the Defendant, and we are anxious to effect
this and detain the goods at the earliest possible moment.