Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 192

(2)

5. One of the new Regulations was to the effect that if any dutiable goods were found on board without a duty certificate, after passing the Station on the way out or in, the junk and cargo would be liable to forfeiture; and this rule applied to passenger junks, if, even without the privity of the Master, some passenger had concealed unreported goods in his baggage.

6. The carrying out of this Regulation obviously led to much injustice and hard- ship, and there are numerous cases on record where the forfeiture of junk and cargo were caused by the passengers' smuggling, without any participation on the part of the owner of the junk.

7. The numerous rewards and large prizes given to the crews of the Cruisers naturally attracted a lot of unscrupulous men, who, in their own interest made out many an honest trader to be a Smuggler; and contraband goods were said to be frequently "planted" on junks leaving the Colony by spies and informers, who had them pounced upon by the Guard Ships when outside the waters of the Colony, and frequently within them too, so as to have the junks forfeited with a view to obtaining the plunder.

8. The Complaints of the Mercantile Community, in reference to the Hongkong Blockade, are recorded in two Blue-books, entitled "Correspondence relating to the "Complaints of the Mercantile Community in Hongkong against the action of the Chinese "Revenue Cruisers in the neighbourhood of the Colony," and "Further correspondence "relating, &c." (See Command papers, 1189 of 1875 and 1628 of 1876).

9. Command paper 1189 contains about 50 pages, and opens with a despatch of the 10th July, 1874, from Governor Sir ARTHUR EDWARD KENNEDY, covering a petition to the QUEEN from certain Chinese Merchants, who pray for protection from seizure of vessels resorting to Hongkong, by armed vessels belonging to certain of the Chinese Authorities at Canton, and for other relief in respect of the junks which had been so seized. They point out that, when the Colony was established, Chinese were invited by proclamation to settle in it, and promised protection against interference with their trade.

10. The next important paper in this Blue-book is a despatch of the Governor, forwarding and commenting upon the Report of a Commission of Inquiry composed of the Honourable P. RYRIE, Mr. H. G. THOMSETT, R.N. and Mr. M. S. TONNOCHY, OD the complaints made by Chinese Traders on the illegal seizures, searches, and detention of their junks. The Commission shew beyond all doubt that there were undue searches, harassing interference, and unjust levies made on the Junk Trade of the Colony, but the only remedial measure they suggested was one which the Governor considered im- practicable, namely, to station armed vessels at the entrances of the Colony in order to prevent the Chinese Cruisers overhauling the junks which enter and leave the Harbour.

11. Then follow despatches from the Governor, some of which give further particulars of certain cases referred to in the Chinese Memorial. Another transmits a report of proceedings of a Public Meeting held to consider the Blockade of Hongkong, with resolutions condemning the action of the Hoppo and Viceroy, and calling upon Her Majesty's Government for protection against the invasion of the "Sanctuary of the Port." This Blue-book also contains despatches from the Colonial Office to the Foreign Office discussing the answers to be given to the Memorialists, and the remedies sug- gested by the Canton Consul and Hongkong Government; and there is also an important