!
7 1.
153
protected than the vessels now in commission, in order to
enable us to cope successfully with the elaborate smuggling
organisation now developing in Kowloon and Lappa waters. And
the Government, of course, should officially authorise the
Customs' Officers concerned to use force where force is
opposed against us and, if necessary, open fire on junks
refusing to stop for search, eto. If desirable, the Inspec-
tor General will visit Hongkong and Macao in connection with
elaborating plans for the development and improvement of the
local Launch Service; but the question of the land Front le ri
presents much greater difficulty, and should be dealt with
specially as outlined below. The question of the Launch
Service, however, is less difficult than the Frontier guard
question, and it is impossible for the Inspector General to
submit now definite proposals until further investigation
indicates more clearly the lines on which development should
finally progress. As the Director-General is aware,
Customs' Administration had many arrangements to make in
connection with the introduction of the new Tariff last
Spring, and while it was early recognised, of course, that
the Customs' Preventive Service must be completely re-
organised, other Tariff questions were still more pressing
and had to be dealt with first, and it was not possible,
therefore, for the Inspector General to attend to every-
thing at the beginning!
The Inspector General now suggests that the whole
question should be taken up and not dealt with "piece-meal",
and that he should detach a Commissioner to personally visit
the