681625-1881-Opium-Smuggling-from-Hongkong-to-China- — Page 3

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH JUNE, 1881.

457

3. The Harbour Master's report (17th of May, 1877) is not quite accurate as to some of the facts, but he admits that the Junk Master violated the Ordinance No. 6 of 1866, and rendered himself liable to the penalties under Sections IX, XI, XIII and XIV.

4. Accordingly, I directed legal proceedings to be taken against the owner of the Junk, and instructed the Attorney General to advise as to the evidence necessary to sustain a conviction.

5. It appeared, however, that the day after the Harbour Master made his report, the Petitioner left Hongkong with his Junk. Proceedings, therefore, could not be taken against him.

6. Under such circumstances, I have not thought it necessary to trouble Sir BROOKE ROBERTSON, Her Majesty's Consul at Canton, with any correspondence on the subject. CHAN A-YAU left the Colony without waiting the result of his Petition, and he did so when an enquiry into his conduct was pending.

7. Your Lordship will observe that the Harbour Master endeavours to excuse the Petitioner's violation of our laws, especially on the ground that "a conviction would only be supported by his own "admissions when seeking redress for an alleged act of Piracy committed by a Chinese Revenue "Cruiser."

8. There is, however, evidence, exclusive of his own admissions, quite sufficient to have convicted him, had he remained to take his trial.

The Right Honourable

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

J. POPE HENNESSY, Governor.

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY,

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies,

&c.,

&c.,

&'c.

GOVERNOR HENNESSY, C.M.G., TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF CARNarvon.

No. 45.

A

恿

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 30th June, 1877.

MY LORD,-In my despatch No. 32 of the 11th of June respecting the course I have taken in dealing with opium smugglers who violate the Harbour laws of Hongkong, I remarked that the Attorney General, who was opposed to the forfeiture of the opium for what he considered a mere breach of Harbour regulations, did not seem fully to realize the consequences to this community of our allowing our own laws to be thus systematically violated.

2. On this subject, I have now the honour to lay before Your Lordship the enclosed copy of а Report from the Acting Captain Superintendent of Police, in which he describes, from a Police point of view, some of the evils of the smuggling system.

3. Mr. CREAGH says that the smuggling from Hongkong to the mainland of China of salt and opium, is carried on in vessels constructed and equipped expressly for running the blockade of Chinese Revenue Cruisers. The smuggling Junks are well armed, and sometimes offer a desperate resistance to the Chinese Government vessels. He mentions a case that occurred in November last, in which three or four of these smuggling Junks, after exchanging fire with the Chinese Government Steamer Peng-Chow-hoi, sought refuge in Hongkong Harbour, where they were refitted. He mentions that the construction and equipment of such vessels render them better suited for piratical operations than for legitimate trade, and that the class of men trained up in them cannot be expected to show much respect for the law of any country.

4. He is evidently justified in saying that, from a Police standpoint, the presence of a fleet of these vessels in the Colonial waters is by no means desirable.