The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-05-19

Z NA-AL1 AAALVl ENELAADu
.. Would il have been profitable to make such
shipment and reshipment of Chinese sugars, an
evasion Of the payment of duty being the sole
purpose and consideration?
3. sHave such shipments and rsshipments Of
Chinese sugars really been made!
In relation to the first inquiry, I beg to state
fhnt but four vessels from Chinese ports report
ed at the Hawaiian Islands during the year 1882,
as shown by the following exhibit, eourteously
furnished by the Collector-G General, together
with q statement of the commodities discharged
by them
Dr. simT numPh--Hongk 80 Honolulu. July H. ls52
Br stmT Madras .Hongkong Honolulu Nov. 2 1852
From these vessels the following commodities
only were discharged Clothing, shoes, dry
goods, earthen and Chinese ware, medicines.
mating, furniture, dried fish, preserved yegeta-
bles, fruits and provisions mo sugarsl, fancy
goods, laquered ware, bamboo ware, baskets,
hardware, tools, China vines, samnsoo, cigars,
tobacco, tea, nut oil, paper and stationery, CAIN
Phor wood trunks and pieces of stone.
1t will thus be seen that but four vessels from
Chinese ports reported to these Islands IN 1882,
and that sugars were discharged by none of
them. This statement embraces all the ports of
the Hawaiian Islands. Hence, If Chinese sugars
were landed in any port of the Islands IN 1882,
it must have been SO done illicitly and without
the knowledge of the customs authorities.
In relation to the possible clandestine landing
of sugars, l beg to direct especial attention to
the IacL LlAL there Is Out one port III NE Ilu-
waiian Islands where freights may be discharged
without the aid of lighters. That port is Homo
lulu There are seven other recognized ports
where freights may be taken in and discharged
with the aid of boats or lighters, namely, Hilo,
on the Island of Hawaii Mahukona on the
Island of Hawaii Kawaihae on the Island Of
Hawaii Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii
Kahului on the Island of Maui Lahaina on the
Island Of Maui, and KOloa on the Island Of
Kauai.
In addition to these ports are a number of
small inlets in the island channels, where
freights may be taken in and discharged in small
barges when the weather is favorable.
These inlets are utilized to a considerable ex-
tent by planters in removing their sugars to in
land vessels for transportation to Honolulu and
other ports for invoice and shipment to the
United States, and 50 difficult is it to make these
| landings that fTeights can be removed to and
from them only in daylight and when the chan
nels are calm.
There are eighty-one sugar plantations on the
Islands, ~ffty-four of which mill their own cane,
and eight custom sugar mills. OF these planta-
tons and mills, thirty-nihe are on Hawaii,
twenty-One on Mani, eighteen on Kauai, eight
on Oahu and three on Moiokai. Very few Of
these plantations are isolated. As a rule, they
are grouped in districts favorable TO cane grow
ing, where a common port or inlet, at greater or
less distances, serves them all.
As steamers and sailing vessels are con-
stantly plying at short intervals between these
sugar-producing islands and Honolulu and other
ports of shipment, and as no vessels large
enough to be Of service could enter any of these
ports or inlets and in broad daylight take in or
discharge in lighters or barges a cargo of sugar
or any considerable portion of 1t unobserVed, 1t
follows that the illicit landing of sugars un-
detected could be ACCOMPLISHED only through a
widespread conspiracy OF the planters; a pre-
sumption which / cannot ask You a moment to
entertain.
The second i~nquiry-"would it have been pro-
! ftable to make such shipment and reshiPment
of Chinese sugars, an evasion of the payment
| q 1nEu hafnn the colo nnrnOGd and PnnGIdern-
ton? has already been partially answered in
referring to the difficulties of the undertaking..
And IN this connection permit me to add ()
that the difference in the strength, granular
structure and general appearance of Chinese
and Hawaiian raw sugars IS so marked that the
former could not be made to pass for the latter
under competent and Honest inspection without
at least, an equal miugiing in quantity of each
and a reorganization of the combinations; (2)that
the mills necessary to this process are, possibly
with two or three exceptions, from one to five
miles inland, and (3) that the laborers employed
in the Tightening, hauling and reworking of the
Chinese sugars could not be kept in ignorance
of their character, and their silence would have
to be purchased with increased wages or other
considerations affecting the profits of the law
less business.
Were it possible, then. to land Chinese SUI
CARS undetected in Hawaiian ports, in order to
evade the light Hawaiian tax of ten per centum
and our own duty of from two to two and a
half cents per pound, the expenses of handling
aud working, as follows, would have to met:
l.. Lighterage to the shore, probably at night
and under unfavorable circumstances.
.. Loading and transportation inland from
one to five miles.
3. Mixing and working in with Hawaiian
sugars.
1. Resacking. reloadtng and retransporta-
ton to the shore.
! -. Lighterage to the vessel.
/ The expenses of these services would vary
somewhat ut different ports and under different
circumstances but, on the whole, it would be
under most favorable conditions that the profits
would exceed the evaded duties.
In answer to the inquiry, Have such ship
msnts and reshipments of Chinese sugars really
been made " admitting them to have been
both possible and capable of profit, l desire to
call your attention to the important fact that
the gross sugar product of the Hawaiian Islands
in 1882 was not in excess OF, but rather be-
low, the stimated aggregate yield of the acreage
under sugar cultivation.
According to the latest exhibits. the total area
OF lands planted in cane on these Islands is
/ %. 600 acres. As cane natures here in about
eighteen months, the number of acres cropped
in 1882 may be placed at 5000, which yielded
a fraction over 81 900 tons OF raw sugars, all OF
which, with the exception of less than two tons,
was exported to the United States. The average
WELD per acre, it will thus be seen, was a little
short Of two and two-tenths tons; and that aver
age on 26,OOO acres. which IS light Tor these
islands, accounts for every pound of sugar pro-
( duced and exported in 1852.
Again, for more thaH a year the United States
Consul here has exacted from Shippers the pro-
/ curement of separate invoices for the sugars of
! each plantation, and the exact places of product
are stated under oath so if Chinese sugars have
been shipped ilIicitly from these Islands in 1882,
every invoice naming them has borne a perjury
upon its face.
1t is manifest that no such shipment and
treatment Of Chinese sugars could be made with
ont the knowledge of many yet the charges
that | have been instructed to investigate have
been neither repeated nor credited here.
1t seems hardly necessary for me to say IN
conclusion that 1 cannot believe that Chinese
sugars have been in the past, or are now,
brought to these Islands and reshipped to the
United States as the products. of Hawaiian
plantations. Very respectfully,
Your obsdient servant,
RoLLIIS NJ. DAGGATT.
The Department of State, the Secretary of the
Treasury and the customs officers here express
entire satisfaction with this clear statement by
Minister Daggett, and their future actions will
| N. Easal mon the facts the letter sets forth.