CO129-513-5 Coastal and river trade- prevention of smuggling and illicit trading 15-10-1928 - 14-12-1929 — Page 90

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Enclosure No. 1 in Shanghai Despatoh No. 111 to H.B.M.Minister, Peking, 10/4/29.

Copy of Letter from Yangtze Freventive

Officers, to H.B.M.Consul-General, Shanghai.

SHANGHAI, 21st March 1929.

H.B.M.Consul-General,

British Consulate-General,

SHANGHAI.

sir,

We have the honour to draw your attention to

the increasing trade in illicit salt carried on by members of the crews of British ships. This partic- ularly applies to crews of vessels plying between Shanghai and North China Coastal ports.

Hitherto it has not been the practice of this office to earch ships flying foreign flags, but owing to the serious proportions assumed by this trade in illicit salt conveyed in foreign ships, we have to re- quest the British Consul-General's assistance in putting a stop to this practice.

Whilst we have kept no careful record of Brit- ish ships arriving in Shanghai with smuggled salt on board, we can assure the British Consul-General that the majority of the ships arriving from North China ports

have/

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