CO129-513-5 Coastal and river trade- prevention of smuggling and illicit trading 15-10-1928 - 14-12-1929 — Page 61

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5.

that he is satisfied in his own mind that

official assistance is withheld or is lukewarm and that bereft of official action and support the suppression of opium smuggling is wel lnigh imposs- ible although given the greatest goodwill in the world on the part of the Shipping Companies. Ch'en Chi-shan refers to opium which has paid duty to the Opium Suppression Bureau but how can such a Bureau actively encourage shipment? Again we ask what is the constitution of this Bureau?

Mr.

14. His Majesty's Consul-General himsel f points out the difficulties in the way of suppress- ing Opium smuggling (in paragraph 13 it appears that there can be shipments of Opium which would not be smuggled as far as the Suppression Bureau is concerned although they would be as far as the Customs are concerned!) due to the number of people who profit by its continuance: he has over-looked the fact that the Military Authorities are also

interested.

15. It is too true that when the Officers

of a ship find Opium they get no assistance from

any one to bring the offenders to book: we have

written you separately in connection with a seizure made on the Changsha" in Shanghai but although we appealed for action no steps were taken to arrest the guilty parties and a golden opportunity has been lost to make an example of smugglers operating on a British ship. We have taken disciplinary action of our own and are now threatened retaliation through

the/