The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-11-15

To The Editor Of The Pacific Commercial Advertiser:
SIR Last Wednesdays Gazette has an unusually
long "Note Of the Week on the subject Of the
opium found concealed in sons frewoOd brought by
the bark RalGkGuG from San Francisco. How the
opium got inside the frewood l do not care to CON-
ment on, but he article says the 50 transaction looks
very much as If some other persons than Cinnamon
were interested in the shipment" 1 am one of the
other persons, but deny having had any hand in it,
and am no; willing TO believe the public generally
will accuse me. My connection personally with the
bark KaiakGuG is simply by register still L believe
| am fairly well informed in regard to the suspicious
ejTcumst1nces.
When the RaIqkaua was in the port Of San Fran
cisco last voyage, q Chinaman called at the vessel
several times in regard to some frewood he wished
to ship 70 Honolulu, saying he had 20 cords. The
same party had tried TO get il on board the Cydns,
but that vessel did not have the room left. When
the RdLdkdud agreed to take il. il was sent down in
g one-horse dray. The mate informed the shipper
that be could not be troubled measuring each small
lot aud giving q receipt, but would stow 1t away at
their convenience, giving q receipt for the
twenty cords more or less (measuring II at Honolulu
if theS thought there was more), and as usual enter
the same on the cargo-book, which is used as a refer
ence in making up the ships clearance and dis
charging Of the cargo. The shipper never applied
for q receipt, therefore ii never got in the cargo
book, and by that means was overlooked in making
up the manifest. 1t seems, however, q clerk from
the office Of j. c. Merrill & Co. was on the wharf
one Gay Nhen the WOOD was being taken 10 the YES
sci, and inquired what wood 1t was, and was told by
the drayman that it belonged to Tong Kee, and that
there was 20 cords oft, which he noted in his mem
orandum book, and by this means it was put in the
freight list in closing up the papers.
The other TeTy suspicious circumstance, q" that the
frewood was not entered on the ships manifest at
San Francisco or by the captain The simple fact
is, the captain had nothing to guide him in making
such an entry but his memory. Captains make out
their manifests from bills of lading and compare
them with cargo-book. This is presumed to cover
every article on board except small parcels in the
cabin, which the captain generally overhauls and
adds before be enters the port. Freight lists are
sent to vessels agent. 1t would appear that these in
the opium business as a general thing do not care
to have bills Of lading. The broom opium by the
Lady LGmpsoR came in like manner-no bill of lad
ing hence the captain of that vessel neglected to
put II on his manifest. l would recommend to those
engaged in this business to have all the papers
prompt in entering, &C.; their chances would be
much improved by doing 30, and it tends greatly to
save innocent persons from suspicion although
perhaps not in all cases. The shoe-heel opium case
was a success the type and oil adventure not alto
gether so.
If Captain jerks told Mr.. Markham that he had
no Chinese freight or freight for Chinese on board.
he certainly believed so at the time. When l was
informed the wood was not entered at the Custom
House and could not be landed, l asked the Captain
to see the Collector and get permission if possible to
land the wood on the wharf, as we wished the vessel
discharged. l certainly had 70 idea of the value of
that lot Of wood, and know that Capt. jerks had no
suspicion about the matter he supposed his cargo was
all properly manifested.
As to making convenience Of the mythical china
man =; 1t cannot be done. Other people may. and do
make a convenience of each other; so do the China
man of other people; but there is no reciprocity in
John in this respect.
In regard to the amount of Opium by the RdIdkduG
this time as being double that of last voyage the
point is not well made. Just what a chinaman may
do or what risks he will take in the opium business.
1 cannot say ; but 1 feel certain that if the man who
wrote the article in the Gazette was to see his genius
given away in such a manner as has been the case
in a good many instances of late, he would not try
it a second time, and would or ought to be very
chary about the word " opium," forever after.
As to the wood being placed below the cargo
that was so intended. To place frewood on top o.
cargo would seem strange to intelligent persons, tt
say the least.
1 feel certain the Gazette man, like myself, regrets
he should have written an article throwing out sus-
picion, without knowing facts.
J. S. WALKER.