The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-12-10
SMUGGLERS OF OPIUM.
THE YACHT BEAGLE CAR-
RED THE DRUG.
HaWiiian HaFbOrS Used for
Storage.
A Thoroughly Organized Gang of Rev
enue EIuders.

The following is copied from the
San Francisco Chronicle of Novem-
Der 18th, 1891:
"The discovery of thoroughly Or
ganized band of opium smugglers
whose operations extend to all parts
of the Pacific is the sensational
result of the visit Of the yacht Bea-
gle to he waters of Hawaii. Bloom
and Douglas, the two Australian ref
ugees, whose arrival on the Beagle
created such stir in Hawaiian cir
cles, are known to have cast their lot
with the smugglers' organization.
"The Beagle was thoroughly
equipped at Sydney to engage in the
contraband traffic, and was further
furnished with light arms capable of
giving effective resistance to any
small-sized revenue cutter that might
seek to take her captive.
"The discoveries so far made by
the Hawaiian officials reveal the ex-
istence of an extensive smugglers'
organization. The Boosting of
Douglas and Bloom while in Homo
lulu, where they posed as English
tourists, revealed the identity of
those with whom they had cast their
lot.
"The organization is known to be
headed by the notorious t W,
whose exploits as a clever smuggler
border on the romantic. W has
associated with him men of means
and standing in Australia, Canada,
China, Hawaii and the United States.
They supply the means to carry on
the contraband traffic in opium. A
small squadron of feet-sailing craft
are engaged in the traffic, and are
differed and manned by the clever
est men in the business. The Ha-
waiian islands and the neighboring
atolIs offer secure and secluded har-
bors where these vessels unload
their cargoes of the costly drug. It
is safely hidden from official dis
covery until the opportunity arrives
when it can be re-shipped to be
smuggled into the ports of Australia,
Canada and the United States.
''When the character of the vessel
is discovered while receiving her
allotmen of the drug in Chinese
waters, the customs officials at all
ports on the Pacific are warned to
be on the lookout. But their vigil
ance proves to be idle, for the
smuggler does not sail their way.
He leaves his cargo at some remote
harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. The
drug is there kept until the oppor-
tunity arrives, when it is re-shipped
for some civilized market.
"The discoveries of Hawaiian and
Australian officials show that many
of the crews on coast freighters
which are not subjected to search by
customs inspectors, are in league
with the smugglers' organization.
Through this medium large quanti-
ties of the drug are struggled in
with little or no fear of detection.
The smugglers' craft hovers on the
coast until meeting with the friendly
freighters, to which packages CON
tanning the contraband drug are
transferred.
"The feet Halcyon, once pleas
ure yacht in this bay, has earned
thousands by successful ventures in
the opium trade. With the Beagle
added to the feet the smugglers'
organization will be still more dan
gerous. The organization has many
employed in it's illegal interests who
derive share from the profits, but
the lions share goes to W and
his supporters. The discoveries so
far made will naturally assist the
customs officials in all the countries
concerned in ferreting out the
agents of the organization. The
Hawaiian officials will moreover en-
deavor to discover the rendezvous of
the smugglers' craft and the point
of storage. It will require the united
efforts of all countries defrauded by
the gang to aid in suppressing the
traffic"