Sept. 7.
The recent ease at Kiukiang of the tide-waiter Andersen, who was accused of taking a bribe to pass smuggled opium and, after a very irregular trial, was heavily sentenced, directs attention to the'traffic in opium along the Yangtze. Several reports have reached us on this subject through the shipping companies and it is not too much to say that the trade is quite open and apparently quite uncontrollable. Foreign shipmasters have practically given up trying to prevent opium being put aboard their it is too dangerous. An 8 recently made of one shipping firm from consular quarters as to the instructions given to its oticers in respect of the transport of opium,—The answer was that the company's officers were strictly ordered to carry no opium, but, if the execution of this order appeared likely to involve the use of force, the instructions were tha': officers were to act only under the authority and with the cooperation of the consul. Here is recent extract fromthe log of one river ship, which illustrates the condition of things. It may. be said that there is no direct evidence that the packages mentioned contained opium, but in all circumstances there can be little doubt that they were: ime and Date. Sever-uniformed armed guards seen passing goods on board presumably opium. Customs officer was notified and stated ho had seen notking—went to investigate and failed to re-appear. Ship left pontoon and was have to but Jas no further steps were taken. Customs, proceeded on voyage.
Kiukiang. Customs searched ship for contraband—none reported found. Officer in charge of party notified of existence of opium on board before search began. cinity of northeast crossing.
arched for contraband. None found.
Chinkiang. Customs searched ship for contraband.
None reported found, Hankow-Shanghai. Packages, presumably opium, were observed to be discharged overboard to sampans te, at the following points on the voyage down river:-—Hunter Island. three packages, Teikong Station, one package, ete. ete, The log goes on with a complete list of all the stations where opium was discharged ty sampans or to pontoon, The list totals no fewer than forty-eight packages and in one case—the Wuhu pontoon—the amount discharged is estimated at one picul. The above record should not be taken as reflecting on the Customs officers. They are in the same position as masters of ships. The evidence is overwhelming that the opium travels under the care of guards who would not hesitate to use violence to prevent the stuff from being seized, and the Customs, up-river at least, have no force at disposal strong enough to over-power them, The question is, Who will check th traffic? The cas the opium seized on boar str, Kiangan at Shanghai December will be fresh in every memory. In spite of the uproar among all Chinese, the opium disappeared and the guilty parties were never brought to light, About the same time our Ichang correspondent reported a regular scale of payment drawn up by the Szechuanese generals for freight of opium and allowances to persons concerned in its transport. There appears reason to suppose that things have improved in the intervening months, It cannot be supposed that the Government is ignorant of what is going on or approves it, but how the tragic can be stopped is another ma ter, The only practicable course would seem to be to press on vith the disbandment scheme which, we take it, is designed not only to cut down the number of troops but to bring their Jeaders under better control. In this connection, special emphasis may be laid on the importance of Mr. 'T. V, Soong's wish'to put the disbanding in the hands of local civilian committees for th payment of all moneys. After all, reform in respect of opium, ske most other things, depends mainly upon the effectiveness of public opinion and ce-operation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.