Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 190

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4. You mention in your letter that the vessels described were engaged in opium as well as in salt smuggling, are you sure that such was the case?

Answer All the vessels I myself saw were salt smugglers, but I understood a Customs officer (whose name I am not at liberty to disclose) to say that the same vessels carried opium also. The object my letter being to rid the Colony of a dangerous class of criminals, it was not important to distinguish those who smuggled salt from others.

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5. Is smuggling carried on now as it was when you wrote in 1877 ?

Answer. I have had but little opportunity for knowing what changes have taken place since then. Soon after writing that letter I was seconded from the Police. I held the post of Police Magistrate and Coroner until 1880, when I resigned those appointments and went to England for two years. Since my return in August last I have not made any special inquiries regarding smuggling, and have therefore gained very little imformation on the subject. I have however no reason to think that any material change has taken place, but I don't think large junks are often used for opium smuggling now. A detective Constable informed me a few weeks ago that there are several houses in Victoria in which contracts to smuggle salt are regularly made between owners of cargo and blockade runners. Last week I asked Sergeant WONG YAU about this, and he assured me that it was the case, and that many of the latter class are known to be pirates.

J. H, STEWART-LOCKHART, Esq.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

C. V. CREAGH.

Extract from Police Morning Report of 28th March, 18o5, relative to Opium Smuggling.

“P.C. 35, JONES, and P.C. 44, FORD, on duty in No. 2 Police Launch brought to Station at 10 P.M., "licensed passage boat No. 1154 (Master FUNG FAT) with 90 Chinese passengers, armed with Rifles and "Revolvers and found in possession of 550 balls of opium which they stated they were about to smuggle "into Támshui, Sergeant GOULD searched the boat for prepared opium but failed to find any. Men "released."

Extract from Police Morning Report of 11th April, 1883, relative to Opium Smuggling.

“12. P.C. 89, MURRAY brought three men to the Station in possession of a quantity of raw opium. "The men state that they left Victoria with 67 others, but on reaching Chinese territory they were met "by Chinese soldiers who fired at them, and caused them to retreat into British Kaulung.”