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a definite number of chests was ordered, and ten per cent bargain money was remitted. The ship was then despatched by a circuitous route, via Formosa, where coal was taken on for the round trip. As soon as the ship arrived at Bushire and was ready to load the opium, the remainder of the purchase price was remitted by cable to Bombay. The ship then loaded the opium and left, proceeding via Sabang to some destination unknown. In each case part of the cargo of opium was destined for Shanghai, the first cargo was in part certainly unloaded in the vicinity of this port, as mention was found of an item for storing 60 chests in the Colony at $20 per chest, and other items mentioned the expenses of introducing part of the first cargo into the district near Kongmoon.
The subscribers probably never saw their opium, when it was safely landed and placed in safe keeping, the firm in Macau attended to the sale and gave delivery orders, received the money and accounted for it to the firm here, paying sometimes direct to the person concerned after the firm here had confirmed the correctness of the account so far as they were concerned. It is doubtful exactly what profits were made as the accounts examined were fragmentary, and it was doubtful in many cases exactly what currency was meant, and whether all the expenses were included, but enough was clear to make it certain that the profit was a handsome one provided that the opium was disposed of as soon as possible after landing. The prices charged for the opium varied from $1,900 to $2,400, in some cases $100 a chest was charged for freight, in others apparently the price was inclusive. The sale price varied from $3,000 to over $4,000 (possibly in some cases Canton money).
On her last trip the ship left Sabang at the beginning of September, and was not heard of for some weeks, till she entered at Shanghai as coming from the Yangtsze port of Chinkiang; her crew were discharged in Shanghai and subsequently returned to Hong Kong being involved in the piracy of the s.s. "Sunning" on the way. The ship is now reported to have been sold, and she left Shanghai recently for Haiphong.
After the search of firm's premises many of the partners left the Colony, and the rather fragmentary evidence found could not be used against the remaining partners, who some of them at least were in the nature of sleeping partners, so no action in the Courts could be taken against the partners. Action was taken against the person in charge of the premises without success. At least four of the partners had been intimately connected with two firms of opium smugglers who were dispersed in 1923. The action taken in this case may warn the wealthy Chinese opium speculator that this Government is determined strictly to observe the terms of the Opium Conventions, and to refuse shelter to any person engaged in transporting opium into China.
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a definite number of chests was ordered, and ten per cent bargain money was remitted. The ship was then despatched by a cir- cuitous route, via Formosa, where coal was taken on for the round trip. As soon as the ship arrived at Bushire and was ready to load the opium, the remainder of the purchase price was remitted by cable to Bombay. The ship then loaded the opium and left, proceeding via Sabang to some destination un- known. In each case part of the cargo of opium was destined for Shanghai, the first cargo was in part certainly unloaded in the vicinity of this port, as mention was found of an item for storing 60 chests in the Colony at $20 per chest, and other items mentioned the expenses of introducing part of the first cargo into the district near Kongmoon.
.
The subscribers probably never saw their opium, when it was safely landed and placed in safe keeping, the firm in Macau attended to the sale and gave delivery orders, received the money and accounted for it to the firm here, paying sometimes direct to the person concerned after the firm here had confirmed the correctness of the account so far as they were concerned. It is doubtful exactly what profits were made as the accounts examin- ed were fragmentary, and it was doubtful in many cases exactly what currency was meant, and whether all the expenses were included, but enough was clear to make it certain that the profit was a handsome one provided that the opium was disposed of as as possible after landing. The prices charged for the opium varied from $1,900 to $2,400, in some cases $100 a chest was charged for freight, in others apparently the price was in- clusive. The sale price varied from $3,000 to over $4,000 (possibly in some cases Canton money).
On her last trip the ship left Sabang at the beginning of September, and was not heard of for some weeks, till she enter- ed at Shanghai as coming from the Yangtsze port of Chinkiang; her crew were discharged in Shanghai and subsequently returned to Hong Kong being involved in the piracy of the s.s. "Sunning" on the way. The ship is now reported to have been sold, and she left Shanghai recently for Haiphong.
After the search of firm's premises many of the partners left the Colony, and the rather fragmentary evidence found could not be used against the remaining partners, who some of them at least were in the nature of sleeping partners, so no action in the Courts could be taken against the partners. Action was taken against the person in charge of the premises without success. At least four of the partners hod been intimately con- nected with two firms of opium smugglers who were dispersed in 1923. The action taken in this case may warn the wealthy Chinese opium speculator that this Government is determined strictly to observe the terms of the Opium Conventions, and to refuse shelter to any person engaged in transporting opium into China.
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