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necessary, to search them for muggled cargo. Formarly there
was very little resistance on the part of these cargo junks.
But the new Tariff has increased the incentive to snuggle and
consequently there are many more junks engaged in this illicit
trade and competition has encouraged them to take bold and
desparate chances. They now do not hesitate to defy the
authority of the Government, after refusing to stop when
signalled by our Revenue Launches, and even firing upon our
vessels when overtaken. In fact, one of our Revenue Launches
was attacked and seriously damaged by these desperadoes in
May of this year, as may be observed from the following report
from the Kowloon Commissioner, dated 15th May:-
"The Revenue Launch "Yeungshing" recently approached
"within hailing distance of three suspicious looking
"junks when suddenly without any warning the junks
"opened fire at point blank range. "The "Yeungshing"
"was struck at lease 13 times by small cannon balls,
"rivet heads, and rifle bullets, the iron railing
"round the searchlight being carried away, life-
"buoy torn open, gig holed, funnel hit, door to
"engine room holed by cannon ball and other minor
"damage done. Fortunately, there were no actual
"oasualties among the crew - one sailor received
"a bullet through his cap.
"we may not be so lucky".
Next time, however,
Now, our Revenue Launches operating in the Kowloon and Lappa
Districts are equipped with a few obsolete weapons for which
it is very difficult now to obtain fresh supplies of ammuni-
tion i.e. the guns are obsolete and no more ammunition is
made