We have been requested by the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce to publish the following letter received from the London Chamber of Commerce on the subject of Pilferage of Cargoes in transit, and ate pleased to do so, as it is a matter affecting the interests of the commercial community of this port Re Pilferage of Cargoes in Transit.
London Chamber of Commerce, 31st December, 1901.
Dear Sir,—During the summer of 1900 communications were received from some Colonial Chambers of Commerce, com-Plaining of the prevalence of Piferage from goods in transit from the Port of London to the Colonies, and requesting that the London Chamber of Commerce take action.
After making certain enquiries, and communicating with the Police authorities, Railway and Dock Companies and others, this Chamber convened a meeting of merchants and shipowners interested in the question, who appointed a Committee "to make diligent. and effective enquiry and report thereon."
This Committee obtained detailed particulars showing that the robberies were systematized, and had reached enormous dimensions; and acting upon expert advice, decided to engage a detective stof in order to stamp out this evil The object of this present to ask that your Chamber will assist my Committee in their efforts by arranging that merchants and consignees in your district will forward to me, cither direct or through your good selves. particulars of any robberies that may come under th ico, as the 'Xperience of my Committee is that rob-1 beries, although probably taking place prior to shipment in London, are usually discovered when delivered at the Port of Discharge, or even in the consignees' war houses.
May I also ask that the enclosed forms be used for supplying my Committee with Particulars of such future robberies you may be kind enough tg obtain for m Committee: you will notice that the name of the shipper of the goods asked for, also information as to whether the stolen property can be identified. In most eases there is certain information (essential for purposes of investigation) that can only be supplied by the shippers in London, while it is not too much to say that, out means of identification, almost' ey Prosecution for "receiving." ete. would fall to the ground.
Although it may appear that informs tion of robberies, suppl d from Foreign Colonial ports, and consequently arriving here some weeks after the departure of the steamer from London, may not be of practical service, yet some of the recent experiences of my Committee hav Proved that it is of the utmost importance that the detective staff should be in possession of the most complete information possible, and I shall be glad if you will urge upon consignees that they should forward to London advices of every case of pilferage discovered in the Colony (so I sincerely trust that the combined of. forts of the Chambers of Commerce, befit at home and abroad, may result in sccuring such convictions that will pat a stub to these repeated depredations.
With thanks in advance, and with every desire to reciprocate, Tam, Dear Sir, i Yours faithfully, Keyric B. Murray, Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.