The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-21
SMUGGLING THE OPIUM.
crEvER DEVICES OF SMUGGLERS
TO ELUDE DETECTION.


Millions Yearly, BUTT Cannot Cope
With the Law Breakers.
From the Net1 York Herald.
During the year 1889 something like
5000 pounds of prepared or smoking
mum was struggled into the United States,
and this government thereby deprived of a
,evenue tax Of 81, 100000.
In the space Of twenty months from
March. 1887, until December, 1889, there
rsre landed in British Columbia, 6,s1s
cinnamon, four-fifths Of whom were snug
cled into the United States.
These figures are derived from the agents
II the United States and from estimates
based upon reports and statistics of impor-
,stions furnished by the British customs
ofBoers at the ports Of British Columbia.
Congress several years ago enacted law
,Isc,nT an import duty Of $40 per pound
mon smoking opium brought into this
c5TnntrY. Notwithstanding this heavy
Jntv the regular importation of opium
tSr9uoh legal channels, and upon which
dntv was paid, amounted to 81. 500, 900 last
Tasr The estimated amount of opium
:smnrgled, added to this sum, will Just
sbo1t reach the amount Of yearly inporta-
Congress also passed a law prohi biting the
o,trv of Chinese laborers into this country,
Init the contraband traffic goes on in spite
Of it
For several months past United States
officers have been engaged in making a
thorough and silent investigation of the
amount of the traffic, the modes or carry
ing it on and the remedy for the evil. The
treasury department is astounded at the ex-
-. .n-lf eet, b. Nka In.
yestigations of the officers. The department
has reason to believe that the evil Is even
greater than is shown by the figures pre-
sented.
WHERE sMUGGLERs OPERATE.
There are two routes which smugglers
use to get Cinnamon and opium into the
United States. One of them is overland
and the other is by water, on Puget Sound
The routes are used as the exigencies Of the
tbe occasion demand-the destination of
the cargo or as the presence OF officers
necessitates, such presence always being
made known to the smugglers by their
principals In town. The start in either case
Is from the same point-Vancouver or Vic
toria. Vancouver is on Puget Sound,
British Columbia, and is the west
srn terminus of the Canadian Pa
dfc railway, which runs eastward
10 the Dominion of Canada. About three
times mouth steamships arrive at Van
couver from China with cargoes of China
men. The average cargo Of opium is
5000 pounds, and sometimes larger. A
portion Of the opium is retained for the
use Of the Chinese population Of the dis
trict, and the remainder, nine-tenths of the
whole Importation, is smugglei into the
United States so the British customs Off
GERS say or the Cinnamon who land
ninety-tive out of every 100 are bound for
the United States, and get there.
HOW THE HEATHEN GET THERE.
Upon arriving at Vancouver the China
men are taken in charge by their resident
countrymen in the Chinese portion of the
city. In few days they take passage for
Victoria, just across the sound, on Vancou-
yer Island. Here they remain quietly
bidiug their time for an opportunity to get
across to the American shore. They are
divided into little squads OF dozen or fif-
teen and are in charge of some crafty old
Celestial who knows the ropes.n Each
man has put up from $25 to $50 passage
money. The guide keeps his countrymen
well out OF sight. Their craft are at anchor
in the harbor-trim, clipper built little
sloops, with great spread of canvas, but
looking innocent enough with the bundle of
fish nets drying on the roof of the cabin and
lazy waterman stretched on the deck
are up town looking out for bargains. II
all is propitious and the wind fair the
Chinese padrone makes bargain for the
transportation OF so many men across the
sound that night.
Shortly afetr dark the Cinnamon steal
quietly out of town, and, striking off to the
southwest, begin an all night tramp across
the rugged country, following in single file
narrow trails through the woods. heading
lrnA hou f-Ia
straits Of San Juan de Fuca, which connects
Puget sound with the Pacific ocean. About
the time when all is quiet in the harbor and
there Is no sound but the brawling and rev.
elry from the dance houses along the shore
the sloop silently steals out of the har-
Dor Before day breaks the smugpler
has dropped anchor in some quiet cove, the
Soop resumes her appearance of a fishing
smack, while the captain goes ashore to con-
suit bis Chinese friend, after posting a man
with glass on.the headland at the mouth of
tae cove to watch for the possible coming
OF the only revenue cutter in those waters
tne Walcott, a wheezy old craft that can
pe outrun by any smuggling sloop in the
About shutdown the Cinnamon come
ABOARD and settle themselves in the sloop
i lor inc nights run. All hands keep on the
LOOKOUT, while the poor Cinnamon crouch
Cogether In the bottom of the vessel. If the
WINDS falls, or II there are indications of
revenue officers around, the sloop puts into
one OF the numerous islands dotting the
SOUND, where there are huts and hiding
Rlacss, and waits for another opportunity.
Inen they watch their chance to make a
iahalng on the American shore, where the
ohlnamen are tumbled out, turned over to
another guide, and hurried back I'D the
country on their way to the numerous
towns in WASHINGTON
oTHER ENTRAN CEs INTO THE UNITED
STATES.
Other consignments of Cinnamon land at
Westminster. in British Columbia, Just
north OF the border. From this place to
mlGnln sixty miles east there are twenty
%als, good for eight months in the year,
~ winch the men can get into the United
oMSs1es. There are huts and hiding places
on on along the route. The native inhabi-
auOs usually belong to the "ring," and
very facility is furnished the smugglers,
s "aie every obstacle is thrown In the way
VI me customs officers,
Ilere Is still another route OF entry for
Due Gontrabandists. Taking the Canadian
r ao'uc railroad at Vancouver the China
tL eG proceed east untiI they are north of
W ouT ,t Dorder OF the states of Dakota, Montana
AM, minnesota. Thence they make for the
n alaerlcan border, which is only from forty
~wenlgnty miles away. They have their
s "e,i worn trails, their huts and rendezvous,
S guH tne smugglers are always on hand to