Copy.
Enclosure /.
149
Report on Chinese documents found in a search of the top
floor of 108 Des Voeux Road Central.
The whole of the top floor of this house and the next was occupied by a Chinese seamen's club. The place was searched as suspicion attached to the place by reason of papers discovered in the course of searches in connection
with the large gang of arms smugglers who were being watched before the cable from the Secretary of State gave the fuller information necessary before immediate action could be taken. The documente found consisted of an address book kept in
Inglish giving a number of addresses chiefly in United
States of America and Canada, a contract for the supply of
Chinese watchmen to the steamers of the Toyo Kisen Kaisha
while in Hongkong loading for United States of America and
the two balance sheets for the years 1922 and 1923 of the
Sheng on opium boiling firm and a letter from the Sheng On
firm. A translation of these very interesting documents is
attached.
The balance sheet is addressed on the outside to
Cheng Lam Ki who appears from the list of partners given in the report for 1922 to be one of the principle partners in the firm, he is possibly identical with Cheng Tung the manager of the Club occupying the premises, but Chinese use so many names it is often impossible to identify even a well known man by the names under which he holds shares in a business. The letter of which a translation is attached is undoubtedly addressed to the same man under the name Lam Ki.
No mention is made of the name of the place where the firm carries on business, but the only place which fits the particulars given in the letter and balance sheet is Kwongphowwan, Kwongshowwan is the only place so far as I know where Chinese twenty cent pieces are in circulation
alongside
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