Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-30
cow Any SEARCH FOR OPIUM.

The search for smuggled goods on the
Toxic at San Francisco still continues, the
Custom house officials having inspected
about two thirds Of the huge craft. 1t re-
quires five days to search her as thoroughly
as can be done with the force allowed by
the Government. They are required to
search every vessel coming to this port
from foreign parts. If more than one yes.
sci is in port at one time, the force is not
increased. Custom. house officials are put
on watch on each vessel, and the searchers
do the best they can under the circum-
stances, going from one vessel to the other.
Most vessels coming are small, and can be
examined in from three quarters to day
and half. But the large steamers on the
China line require time, and when cap
ture is made it is more by good luck than
anything else, as there are thousands of
places to hide the stuff where no man could
ind it except by just stumbling on
to the place. The difficulty is in get.
ting the contraband goods ashore The
searchers, of course, by experience know
how to make a systematic search, and suc-
coed in finding many new hiding places,
bu. they are not numerically strong enough
to keep their eyes on all portions of the
ship, and prevent the smuggled articles
being moved from place to place out of their
way. An instance of this, excepting the non
success of the smugglers plan, was demon.
strated Tuesday by the capture of 100 FIVE
tael tins of Struggled opium. Just before
the dinner hour they had examined two
air.pumps in the engine-room without
finding anything. During dinner the
searchers noticed that two or three parties
were missing from the table. Suspecting
something crooked going on, they went
back on board and found that the cap on
one air pump had been replaced, and the
same operation begun ON the other head.
But few minutes were required to fish to
view fifty pounds of opium, valued at
about 500. A subsequent investigation
revealed that the captured treasure had
been removed f.om under lot of coal in
the coal.bunkers. Wrapped around
the tins were found San Francisco
newspapers. It was understood on the
ship that the searchers were about to IN.
spect the coal bunkers, which they were.
and to prevent the opium being discovered
it was necessary to remove 1t. The coal Is
searched by probing the pile with steel
bars, about six feet long and three quarters
of an inch in diameter. The points OF
these bars are sharpened, while on the
other end is very lal ge handle. The bar
is jabbed in and through the coal, and
when opium is struck it shows on the
point. when the point strikes silk the
fact is known by the bar bounding back,
it being impossible to force it through. So
expert have the searohers become by prae-
tice that no sooner does the probe come in
contact with the usual contraband articles
than they know the nature of the find In
showing two reporters through the vessel
Tuesday the searchers discovered emma,
man in the shaft alley without light, and
unable to explain why he was there. The
Chjuaman was put in charge of the report
ers while the searchers went through the
surrounding portions of the vessel. WITH
ont doubt the Chinaman bad smuggied sr-
ticles hidden away somewhere in the vlan'
itv but they could not be found.