The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-11-10
Smuggling.

If Wordsworth's analogy between
island aud mountain countries rs fol.
lowed out to the full, 1t will be- seen
that even in the characteristics of their
contraband trade they have much in
common. To smuggle tobacco across
glacier pass Is as romantic an adventure
as to run a cargo of brandy upon
rocky coast on dark ught. The sue.
cessful smuggler of the mountains or OF
the sea will alike require courage and
perseverance. Those who have lived
near the frontier line between the Swiss
and Italian valleys of the Alps, and who
have realized the difference in price be-
tween Swiss and Italian tobacco, will
not wonder how easy it is to smuggle
and how great is tue temptation. The
Italian frontier is doyetailed In and out
with the Swiss IN such a way that there
is no eiiectual means of guarding it ex-
cept at such expense us even proteo-
ZIONIST State would hardly think pos
slble. AS it is, the expense incurred
for customs stations in lonely places aud
for an army of officials must seriously
diminish the returns.
| IL call utNbI NC thSO " buG
frontier OF mountain district so as to
prevent this dovetailing, which gives
the smugglers such opportunities, and
on the Italian frontier political events
tended to still farther aggravate these
difficulties. When Napoleon tore the
Valteline from the high and mighty
State of the Grisons and added to his
kingdom of Italy its fertile vineyards,
he did not think it worth while to steal
the comparatively barren Val Bregaglia
and when the Austrian entered into the
inheritance of his misdeeds III Italy, and
the Grisons was united to the Swiss
Confederation, the frontier line re-
manned as Napoleon had marked it.
The Valteline and the Val Bregaglia,
though running parallel to each other,
thus remained III different hands.
The narrow backbone OF granite hills
! that rises between the two valleys,
though it is crossed by no path practi-
cal except for foot passengers, or in.
deed except for mountaineers, is no diff
ticulty to the smugglers, who have their
choice between the Albigns glacier.
easy in winter when the the snow.
bridges are strong, but deeply crevassed
in summer, and the more precipitous
Trubenasca pass. The smuggling is
usually conducted not by the Swiss but
1 by their poorer and more desperate
neighbors. The Italians cross the ridge,
descend into the Bregaglia, buy tobacco
I in one of the villaHes-where the grocery
and general shops keep it done mp IN
handy packages-and then return with
: their purchases to the Valteline. Some
times string of as many as thirty men
will leave in long line from the little
I village OF Bondo, which is the best
starting place for the Trubenasca pass.
J.. Those who choose the way across tine
: Alblgna glacier fix as their point of de-
$ parture, on Vicosoprano, name. we'll
known to these who have travelled by
L the Malolq diligence. The start is
usually made between 2 and in the
! morning, and it must be nice question
to decide whether more IL gained or lost
J. by the risks or securities of darkness
= the smuggling appears to be danger
u GUS trade in proportion to the bardi-
hood of those engaged in it. If a SNUG
i gler, when challenged by the guards,
J. throws down his packet and runs of,
y there is little danger of his being pur-
|, sued; his only loss is his tobacco. If,
:, however, he makes any resistance, or
does not respond to the challenge to
throw down what he carries. the guards
l. fires at once, and often with deadly Ell
feet. Sometimes. however, the tables
l are turned, and large party of snug
Il glers will surprise and oYerpower a
= small post of Custom House officers or a
. single guard.
a The smuggler, even when he has got
!. his goods across the frontier, is by no
Ie means safe. Deep into Italy extends a
" zone in which all suspicious goods are
: liable to be examined, and, unless q
- license of transit and evidence to show
a that they have paid duty are produced
IA to be contiscate1, An instance of the
~ Inconvenience and tyranny OF such 8
y, system, which seems TO combine the
. several evils of customs and excise, max
be quoted. An hotel-keeper on the
" Lago Maggiore received from Milan
% box OF freezing powder. The permit
and the parcel was seized on the steamer
as being above the weight OF five kllos
" (the minimum allowed to pass wlthou
= inquiry, and promptly contiscGted. Al
p, ~ though the Lake OF Como Is entirely
~ within Italy, its shores and waterl
~ swarm with Custom House officer
q ready to seize Bmugglers who hav,
~, crossed the frontier successfully, an(
lie are trying ~ escape from within til,
as zone. For till this is accomplished the,
have no security. A sad story is toll,
ba of young man who, seen witt
Il struggled goods ON him, was hunte,
w. down to the edge of the lake ON dar
night. Being a good swimmer, he fun
7 himself into the water an triel to eros
the lake, his strength, however, faile
a and his body was washed ashore at Bel
lis laggio day or two later.
The large numbers of peasants, men
nd and women, who seek work in SVitzer
he land, and are constantly crossing an
ed recrossing the frontier, must fiud tn
Custom House and its meddling tyrann
nd very Yexatious. 1t Is, indeed, disa
he greeable and ignominous sight to sc
the peasant women forced to turn OF
~. their pockets and their bundles done
of red cotton haudkerchieIs before tn
ad douanier. Patient and good-humore
Int ar the contadini always are, they do NJ
on seem to mind; and it must be admitte
he that the demands OF the officials, thong
fnssy in the extreme, are never made o
IN, fensively.
ng &c
The Grafton Treatment OF Ur,n nAIs