CO129-513-5 Coastal and river trade- prevention of smuggling and illicit trading 15-10-1928 - 14-12-1929 — Page 47

2.

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From the point of view of British interests in general,

it soms essential that not only should the old opium

agitation not be allowed to acquire a new lease of lafe

but no opportunity should be given for any fresh agita-

tion to arise.

"At present, without any doubt, considerable

quantites of muggled opium are being carried on Bitish

vessels. Probably still larger amounts are carried on

vessels under other flags: but resentment is likely to

be felt not against the owners of ships in which opium

is smuggled, but against the authorities who hinder the

searching of such vessels, If the search is allowed to

pass unobstructed, the Opium Suppression Bureau and the

smugglers have each a sporting chance and there is no

ill-feeling. The Bureau are now either prevented from

searching British ships, or difficulties are placed in

their way: and, in the event of a serious disturbance breaking out on board between a searching party (whe

may have gone there in the guise of passengers) and

members of the crew, there is a real risk-in view of

the language difficulty and the natural desire of certain

of the ship's company to misrepresent the situation -

that the armed guard may be involved in what would pro-

bably be described as the defence of smugglers against

the representatives of the Government.

3.

The shipping companies, His Majesty's Consul

says, adopt the attitude that it is impossible for the

officers on the ship to carry out a thorough search in

addition to their other duties but he points out that

in the event of an anti-British boycott other interests

besides those of the shipping companies would be involved

and/