[CONFIDENTIAL.]
332
C
Extract of letter from G. T. EDKINS, Esq.,
Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, HONG KONG.
22nd March, 1916.
OPIUM SMUGGLING.-I saw the Governor and ant glad to say he readily agreed to support your representation for internal legislation and to telegraph to the Home Government to the desired effect. He considers your views as to legislation quite sound, but he advises that we leave the Government here to deal with Jack a Tai, etc., as they may consider advisable, relieving us of any responsibility in that direction. The problem is so complex, and there are so many Chinese of various grades of society involved, that this seems the best course to follow, at any rate for the present and until we hear your views further ou the point. We have already written you fully officially on the general aspects of the situation and separate advices will post you to date. We will attend to the desired action as to Opium smoking in the ships.
Messrs. ALFRED HOLT & Co.,
LIVERPOOL. Dear Sirs,
[CONFIDENTIAL.]
HONG KONG, 23rd March, 1916.
O.S.S. Co., Ltd., and C.M.S.N. Co., Ltd.
OPIUM SMUGGLING.
Our interview with the Governor was very satisfactory. We explained all that has led up to the present situation and your proposals for dealing with it, at the same time soliciting his advice and help. We were not at all surprised to find that the general question of Opium Smuggling had been giving the Colonial Authorities cause for investigation and concern for some time, for what we are personally interested in is but part of a scheme of operations of very much wider dimensions than anything that has actually come before us so far. The Officials of the Canton Government are deeply involved, and are willing receivers of any quantities of Opium so long as their connection with it does not become public knowledge. There was a Gun-boat here a few days ago, said by the Colonial Government to have been sent here from Canton to lift about 200 chests of Opium which were expected by a boat specially chartered from India, ostensibly for Mexico. Another vessel is known to have been bought or chartered to go to the Persian Gulf, take in Opium, and then, to cover her doings there, to make a trip to Zanzibar, the Cape, and thence to China. All Stevedores in the Colony are pretty well known to be implicated as first receivers and organizers of its import in the way known to us, and numbers of Sampan-men of certain families provide the last stage of its transit into the Colony.
His Excellency was therefore not long in reaching a decision to back your aim at legislation by telegraphing to the Colonial Office in support of such measures, and he, too, agrees that legislation seems the only likely way to check the evil so far as your vessels are concerned.
With regard to taking steps to secure evidence against Jack a Tai, a member of the Colonial Secretariat called on us later and advised that this should be left to their discretion in our interests, after explaining how, in their view, hasty action might lead to a break- down of arrangements for getting crews. The Stevedores run crews' boarding houses, as we have before said, and these have private accounts and petty banking affairs with each individual sailor or fireman, and their doors would at once be shut and all but those arrested would probably decamp, never to return, at the first sight of Police.
It is considered quite certain that to deal only with Jack a Tai would but transfer the transactions of his connections to others without affecting the volume of smuggling. The Government hope, however with time, to check the traffic, and meanwhile ask us to leave local action in their hands.
We confirm wiring you on 21st inst. as per attached, and will keep you advised of what transpires further.
Shanghai and Singapore will be posted.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed) BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE,
Agents.
Copy of telegram exchanged between Messrs. Alfred Holt & Co., Liverpool, and Messin. Butterfield & Swire, Hong Kong :→→
1916.
March 21.
Government telegraphed Colonial Office recommending legislation will
act locally later their discretion.
9