359
8/0 CIR. 67.
360
4
SEMI-OFFICIAL CIRCULARS.
met. The town of Chaoyang some miles up the river was visited from Haimen. Southwards again, the ship put in successively at Tungao (#), Shenchuan (), Kupchi ( 7), Chino (), Chieh-shih(), Chiliang ( ), Swabue (E), Samsha Inlet and Harlem Bay, Bias Bay, from which place Hongkong was reached on the 28th March.
During the cruise there were boarded and searched by Mr. G. H. WHITE, under my instructions, 24 motor vessels, 12 steam vessels, and 24 sea-going junks, many of which craft were stopped on the open seas. Of the motor vessels, five-all claiming Japanese nationality were seized, viz.: three at Tungshan, one being navigated thence to Amoy by Mr. WHITE and an armed party from the Pingching; and two left under the guard of the Native Customs at Tungshan with advice to detain them until orders should be received from the Amoy Superintendent. The latter two were subsequently confiscated by the Native Customs at my suggestion; while the one taken to Amoy was also confiscated by the Superintendent there. The Formosan crew were sent in by him to the Japanese Consul under a police guard (the Japanese captain absconded directly the vessel reached port); but the Consul refused to recognise them as Japanese subjects, which made matters easy for the Superintendent. Another Japanese motor vessel was found in Challum Bay and put under guard of the local police on my advice to the Native Customs there. This vessel was subsequently confiscated by the Swatow Superintendent, together with another—name unknown-that put into Ungkong the day after our visit and was promptly seized-a satisfactory outcome of our own example to the Native Customs. The ground for seizure and confiscation of all these six vessels was the same, namely: being of foreign nationality and engaged in direct foreign to Chinese inland waters traffic. Only one of them-the Powan Maru-was in possession of a Japanese certificate of registry, but two or three had the small wooden pai bearing their name and a number, showing registration in Taiwan. Each in turn claimed that he had put in for shelter or owing to engine breakdown; but papers found on board proved calls at other Chinese ports; and even at the places at which they were found they had not reported to the local Customs or other Government offices.
At Amoy the raid on the island of Wusu was carried out in conjunction with the Chinese gun-boat Chuchien and troops from Amoy. This raid has been fully reported elsewhere. The Japanese motor vessel Powan Maru was seized and subsequently confiscated by the Amoy Customs together with a large quantity of sundry cargo taken from several buildings on the island that were seized and searched as a result of information received by the Amoy Commissioner. A large number of small craft lying in the harbour were also searched and one seized. The original object was to capture a shipment of arms; these had, however, been removed the night before the raid. The operation was one involving some preparation and decision, and was carried through in circumstances that will not fail to make a deep impression upou malefactors engaged in this traffic.
Of the 24 junks boarded and searched during the tour the masters of several were made to accompany us in to the local officials to explain their movements. Entries were made in all Pass Books of junks and motor vessels, and on the Manifests of all steamers stopped and
:
SEMI-OFFICIAL CIRCULARS.
5
searched, stating that they had been so visited by the Maritime Customs and where they were found. Wherever they could be found the Native Customs were called upon, and also the cards of the party sent in to the police and other officials of the neighbourhood. That more places were not visited must be attributed to the very real dangers to the navigation of the cruiser in waters that were in some places entirely unsurveyed. It was hazardous for even the steam pinnace to venture into some of the places resorted to by junks. The channels were unknown to us; tides were an unknown quantity; and pilots could not always be obtained nor altogether trusted when they were obtainable. I consider that we visited all the places possible in the time at our disposal, though certainly the waters round the Changchow district north of Amoy would have been more thoroughly done if possible. But I am of opinion that any smuggling that is done there must be done by junks into which cargoes have been transhipped from sea-going craft. And this lay somewhat outside the sphere of our investigations.
We were well received everywhere by the officials, and no doubt not the least of the good work done by the tour lies in the touch gained for the first time with the Native Customs and other officials in the non-open places on the coast. Inquiry into the practice of the Native Customs stations exposed some strange anomalies, and the provincial delegates were themselves taken rather aback at the differences of procedure and treatment we discovered. No less than three tariffs were found in operation within the same provincial coast district. I believe that this will be put right by the delegate concerned. A prevailing evil appears to be the very general absence from his post of the officer in charge of these small stations. But an almost greater is the point that Native Customs offices were found to be often far from the sea or harbour; at Chieh-shih the party had over an hour's walk from the boat to the Customs. At none of the Customs visited were they found to be equipped with any means of controlling shipping, or boarding vessels. The masters presumably reported or did not as they felt disposed; the Native Customs could not have been the wiser. In many ways the whole system is a hundred years behind to-day, and that without the respect and fear of officialdom that existed a hundred years ago. To look to such a system to enforce an import tariff such as that now in use is, of course, absurd. There is practically nothing to check the landing of a cargo of imports from junk, motor or steam vessel along this unending panorama of rugged bays and well-concealed coves. At the same time I must own to having modified the opinion I had before starting upon this tour. While the possibility of smuggling to a heavy extent exists, it is to be doubted if it is availed of to the extent that might be supposed. For from the profits gained by an evasion of a high tariff there must always be deducted much on account of risk from piracy while on the water and banditry ashore. Communications with the larger towns, while improving as motor roads are being constructed, are still bad, and the journeys for goods exceedingly long. Moreover, other forms of taxation exist than that of the Chang Kuan, and other officials are on the look out for traffic to milk though they be lax. To-day the condition of South-east China is such that there is but a mild demand for articles paying higher rates of duty. Indeed it was the opinion of the Fukien delegate that there is scarcely any smuggling in his province owing to the lack of money. I returned from the tour with the impression that the prevention of smuggling, at the present time at least, can be achieved at a cost rather less than the task appeared to me to demand before we set out.
8/0 CIB. 67.
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