Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 81

REPORT.

The Commissioners met at the Council Chamber on the 10th January to arrange the order of their proceedings, and, having nominated a Secretary, it was resolved that the evidence of the Officers of the Harbour Master's Department and Police should first be taken, and that a notice should be published in the newspapers, inviting all persons who might possess information on the subject of smuggling from the Colony into China, to attend and give evidence before the Commission. (See Gazette Notice, Appendix, page 93).

The Commissioners held seven sittings, in the course of which every member of the Civil Service of the Colony, whose testimony it was considered would in any way pro- mote the object for which the Commission was appointed, was examined. The substance of the evidence given was taken down by the Secretary and read over to each of the witnesses respectively, but the Commissioners having subsequently considered that the manner in which the evidence would thus be presented in the Report would be scarcely satisfactory, supplementary sittings were held, when the principal witnesses were examined over again, and their fresh evidence was recorded in an interlocutory form. (See Appendix, pages 16 to 61).

No voluntary witnesses responded to the public invitation of the Commissioners to come forward, but the Commissioners are indebted to Mr. F. D. SASSOON and Mr. E. R. BELILIOS for their attendance, by request, at the sitting of the 18th June, when these gentlemen gave some interesting information as to the general condition of the Opium trade, in which they are largely concerned, as well as to Mr. DA COSTA, the Secretary of the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steam-boat Company, for some facts connected with smuggling by River steamers.

The Commissioners have had access to official Records, and Returns in Government Departments, bearing upon the question under enquiry, and have gone through about 10 years correspondence between the Canton and the Hongkong Governments in reference to seizures of Junks by Chinese Revenue Cruisers and so-called Customs Revenue Cruisers in Hongkong waters.

The Evidence laid before the Commissioners and elicited by them in the course of examination, leads to the following conclusions:-

(a.) Residents in the Colony, other than Chinese, are not concerned directly or

indirectly in the practice of smuggling.

(b.) Vessels under foreign flags are not engaged in the smuggling trade, and there is no evidence before the Commissioners tending to show that either the officers or crews of such vessels take any direct part in contraband traffic, although it is not improbable that in some cases the employés accept consideration for concealing their knowledge, that Chinese passengers smuggle Opium by steamers entering at Chinese ports.