The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-15

When we announced on Thursday last our
conviction that the notorious jobs of the Quar-
antine sharks were getting to be worse now
than at any former period, and charged that
the interference of the Health Officer, DR..
Swinburne, with the business of the marine
reporters for the New York press was induced
by improper motives, we did not anticipate
that the hand of justice would SO soon lay its
grasp upon the offenders and publicly justify
our assertions. The expose Of the Wholesale
system Of smuggling going on under the cloak
of the business of Quarantine, made in yester-
days HERALD, furnishes clue to the recent
action Of the Health Officer in regard to our
steam yachts and fully establishes all the
statements we have made. It appears the
Custom House authorities have long had reason
to believe that smuggling on an extensive
scale was going on at this port, but they natu-
rally looked in every other direction than that
of public department like Quarantine for the
frauds. They took the precaution to notify
the Quarantine Commissioners and the Health
Officer of the fact, more in the belief that they
could aid the government officials in de-
tecting the smugglers than with any idea
that the actual offenders were to be found with
in their own ranks. There was no diminution,
however, in the extent Of the frauds on the
revenue, and Collector Smythe and Surveyor
Wakeman set themselves to work with COM
meudable energy to discover their source Mr..
Wakeman managed the affair with consummate
obi nd ir~
of the most slilful detective who ever made his
mark in police history. The result was that
on Thursday night and Friday morning last
the Custom House authorities succeeded
in effecting the startling disclosure that
the smuggling was done under the aus
pces Of persons connected with Quarantine,
and that the steamers and sloops belong
ing to the Health Officer were used to convey
the struggled property ashore. One sloop was
seized with a large number of cigars of great
value concealed on board, and suspected
Quarantine steamer was also searched, but was
found prepared for the visit.
We do not know how far Dr. Swinburne
may be implicated personally in this matter,
but we do know that in lending himself to the
schemes and intrigues of those who have en-
deavored to put stop to the system of collect
ing marine news by steam yachts he has
played into the hands, wilfully or foolishly, Of
the men who have been engaged in those
frauds upon the government. vhe object of
the Quarantine rings in endeavoring
to prevent the HERALD yachts from visit
ing vessels arriving in the harbor is now as
clear as the MONDAY sun. They feared the
discovery of the system of smuggling in
which they have been engaged, and from
which they have realized large fortunes. In
view Of these disgraceful developments we call
upon the merchants and shippers of the city to
hold meeting at once, and TO call upon the
Governor to remove the Health Officer and to
clear out this nest Of smugglers. Men who are
implicated in such frauds, or who are remiss
or stupid enough to be used by others as the
instruments of swindling the government and
injuring honest traders, are not fit to hold
offices of so much responsibility and trust as
those connected with the Quarantine Depart
ment of the port of New York.