È 4
comm
the price was gradually reduced very little seems to have found its way to Hongkong.
IV. PERSIAN OPIUM.
Persia still continued to send opium to China under the false declaration of destination, "Vladivostock". The arrival of S.S. "Tai Tak" in the port on her return from her second opium smuggling trip to the China coast afforded an opportunity for a thorough investigation into this traffic with the help afforded by the books seized in the office of the agent for the ship. It was proved by the documents seized that the persons to whom the ship belonged had been responsible for the introduction of at least four ship-loads of Persian Opium into China during the last two years, and that at least four million dollars had been spent on the purchase of the opium. The money came from Swatow mostly, though occasionally Shanghai joined in the venture.
The persons who financed the business were discovered to be wealthy and very influential Chinese merchants in Swatow. The procedure was to send the ship chosen to Formosa to load coal sufficient for the round trip to the Persian Gulf and back to the China coast, allowing a considerable margin to allow the ship to loiter off the coast and steer unusual courses; supercargos were embarked in Formosa, and the ship sailed for Basrah via Goa. The ship remained at Basrah until a cable was received from Hongkong that the opium was ready at Bushire; the ship then proceeded to Bushire, loaded her opium declaring the destination as Vladivostock, she touched at Goa, and then sailed for the China sea avoiding Sabang, the former usual port call for these opium ships. A course was then steered for Hongkong keeping over to the coast of the Philippines to avoid being seen by other ships and reported; a course was then set for the vicinity of the Eastern entrance to the harbour of Hongkong near Waglan, where apparently some means were prepared of getting a message through to Swatow. The ship then proceeded to the neighbourhood of Swatow where some of the opium was transferred into waiting steam launches. Some of the remainder of the opium was transferred into waiting gunboats near Amoy. In one case, arrangements had been made to meet junks near the mouth of the Yangtse. After delivering her cargo, the ship proceeded to Formosa to coal and then came back to Hongkong to refit or lay up till the next trip. The Captain of S.S. "Tai Tak" was warned to leave the Colony and the Chinese manager of the local agents for the ship was deported.
Only one seizure of Persian opium was made of any magnitude, in a junk in the Yaumati harbour of refuge, shortly after information had been received that an opium smuggling ship from Persia had discharged some of her cargo near the Colony. Whenever such ships had discharged in this locality, small amounts of Persian opium were soon after seized, showing the rapidity with which such opium goes into circulation.
È 4
comm
the price was gradually reduced very little seems to have found its way to Hongkong.
IV. PERSIAN OPIUM.
Persia still continued to send opium to China under the false declaration of destination, " Vladivostock". The arrival of 8.S. "Tai Tak" in the port on her return from her second opium smuggling trip to the China coast afforded an opportunity for a thorough investigation into this traffic with the help afforded by the books seized in the office of the agent for the ship. It was proved by the documents seized that the persons to whom the ship be- longed had been responsible for the introduction of at least four ship-loads of Persian Opium into China during the last two years, and that at least four million dollars had been spent on the purchase of the opium. The money came from Swatow mostly, though occasionally Shanghai joined in the venture.
The persons who financed the business were discovered to be wealthy and very influential Chinese merchants in Swatow. The procedure was to send the ship chosen to Formosa to load coal sufficient for the round trip to the Persian Gulf and back to the China coast, allow- ing a considerable margin to allow the ship to loiter off the const and steer unusual courses, supercargos were embarked in Formosa, and the ship sailed for Basrah via Goa, the ship remained at Basrah until a cable was received from Hongkong that the opium was ready at Bushire, the ship then proceeded to Bushire loaded her opium declaring the destination as Vladivostock, she touched at Goa, and then sailed for the China sea avoiding Sabang, the former usual port call for these opium ships. A course was then steered for Hongkong keeping over to the coast of the Philippines to avoid being seen by other ships and reported, a course was then set for the vicinity of the Eastern entrance to the harbour of Hongkong near Waglan, where apparently some means were prepared of getting a message through to Swatow. The ship then proceeded to the neighbourhood of Swatow where some of the opium was transferred into waiting steam launches. Some of the remainder of the opium was transferred into waiting gunboats near Amoy. In one case arrangements had been made to meet junks near the mouth of the Yangtse. After delivering her cargo the ship proceeded to Formosa to voal and then came back to Hongkong to refit or lay up till the next trip. The Captain of s.. "Tai Tak" was warned to leave the Colony and the Chinese manager of the local agents for the ship was deported.
Only one seizure of Persian opium was made of any magnitude, in a junk in the Yaumati harbour of refuge, shortly after informa- tion had been received that an opium smuggling ship from Persia had discharged some of her cargo near the Colony. Whenever such ships had discharged in this locality small amounts of Persian opium were soon after seized, showing the rapidity with which such opium goes into circulation.
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