Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 85

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specially armed. He says however that in one case, at all events, of these seizures, people have been killed on both sides. On the other hand a Chinese witness, who was for three years on board the Cruiser P'ingchauhoi, says that he never saw the fire returned by the smuggling boats.

There is great probability that junks conveying Salt, without license from the Salt Commissioner, pass close to this island, on their way from the N.E. Coast to the estuary of the Canton River and the South, and frequently take refuge here, when pursued by the Revenue Cruisers.

The Commissioners have had before them the Report of Mr. C. V. CREAGH, when Acting Superintendent of Police, dated 21st June 1877 and published in the Gazette page 908 of 1882, and on page 91 of the Appendix, relating to an action alleged to have been fought between the Pingchauhoi and some junks, said to have been carrying Salt and Opium, in 1876.

After examining Mr. CREAGH and other officers of Police, and having referred to certain documents written at the time (27th and 29th November, 1876), the Commissioners have come to the conclusion :—-

1st. That there is no evidence to shew that the junks carried opium.

2nd. That they were not Hongkong vessels, but vessels trading with the Colony and said to be licensed by the Salt Commissioner or holding licenses from one of his depôts.

3rd. That they never maintained any naval action against the Revenue Cruiser.

On the contrary, the declarations made before Captain DEANE by the Masters of the junks, and his further inquiry, show that the five junks (not seven as stated by Mr. CAMERON, whose evidence on the subject is entirely hearsay), were licensed Salt junks, that they were attacked on the Canton River, out of sight of Hongkong, and at least seven miles distant from it, and that, on being fired into by the P'ingchauhoi, the crew escaped to the mainland without firing a shot, and found their way to Yaumáti, which is British territory, whilst the junks were detained by the Customs Cruiser, (not returning to repair as stated by Mr. CREAGH).

It is unfortunate that Mr. CREAGH before writing his letter did not consult the Reports made by Capt. DEANE, as this "naval engagement" is the only example cited by him in support of a general statement which might be regarded as reflecting inju- riously on the traders of the Colony. For it is shewn from the records of the depart- ment to which he belonged, that he was wrong in the number of the junks, or that they returned to this Colony, or, if the evidence of the Masters of the junks is to be believed, and there is nothing to contradict it, that they had ever fired a shot. Indeed, as has been stated in the section on Opium, there is no evidence before the Commissioners of any conflicts occurring within the waters of the Colony, or, with the exception of that of Mr. CLERIHEW, in immediate contiguity to Hongkong, between Revenue Cruisers and junks from the Colony for the purpose of smuggling Salt. There is evidence that boats engaged in smuggling Salt from the Colony to the mainland are frequently fired into, and sometimes with loss of life, by the Chinese Cruisers outside Hongkong waters, and there is a great deal of evidence of junks being fired into and seizures being made by Revenue Cruisers, or vessels which assume to be in the employment of the Chinese Government, within the waters of the Colony.