Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-08-03
SMUGGLING IN VENEZUELA.
Little Conccalment About 1t, but the Prof
its Cut Down by Competition.

Little Concealment About 1t, but the Prof
Its Cut Down by Competition.
Smuggling is an everyday or per-
haps moro probably an every night
occupation along tho shores and at
the ports of Venezuela. 1t is carried
on much of the time in collision
with the customs officers and is done
with Il degree of openncss. A New
Yorker recently returned from those
parts crossed from one of tho West
India islands to the mainland in q
small sailing craft and noted that
the captain had several snug spots
about the boat for concealing dutla-
bic merchandise Beneath tho floor
of his bunk on deck the captain had
many bottles of olive oil. Elsewhere
he had dried Goldfish, and i'll ono cor
ncr was Il barrel of flour, These
things woro struggled ashore as OPP
portunity offered. People came out
to the vessel as she rode otfshore
and purchased contraband goods by
night.
One evening n custom house off
Ger, who visited tho vessel, said he
thought he d stay all night on board.
Tho captain expected good bust
ness that night and found the pres
enco of the officer embarrassing.
Tho officer, who saw tho skipper $
dissatisfaction, finally said i'll plain
words that he must search tho YES
sci unless tho captain would yield
up box of salt fish. Tho captain,
feeling himself robbed, but without
recourse, gave the fish to the officer,
escaped search and had the satisfac-
ton of seeing his guest ashore before
night.
1t is common thing for small
vessels to anchor thus offShore and
signal at night to Venezuelan SNUG
glers. The latter como out, and there
! is Il lively trade until all are sup
piled with what they need. The YES.
sci goes to another place tho next
night, repeats her signals and has
another set of customers. This con-
tinues until the cargo is sold out. II
any customs officer shows himself,
his silence is procured by bribery.
! Vessels sometimes come into port
and land IL struggled cargo with the
full knowledge of tho customs OIL
/ GERS. In such case no official record
| is kept of tho vessel 5 arrival III port,
though clearance papers arc granted
| when she sails. Even when seizure
is made and a vessel is put upatauc-
ton she goes for a triflc and Is
bought in by her owners. Public
sentiment is on the side of the SNUG
glers. Old coasting vessels from the
United States often engage i'll this
trade. 1t is perfectly safe, though
less profitable than in some places
because of keen competition.
The Dutch island of Curacao, close
to the coast of Venezuela, is one Of
thomost important smuggling points
in the world. Scores of Nenezuelans
visit tho island to obtain goods, and
the trade goes ON tho year round al
most unveXcd of the customs off
GERS. The knowledge of all this is
public property, and the Venezuelan
government must be perfectly cog
infant of the facts in tho case,
Doubtless Il great deal of the snug
Cling to Venezuelan ports begins at
New York by the filing of orders for
customers in Venezuela. The old
method of smuggling articles on or
der to persons of means in Cuba was
20 give tho package in charge of the
purSer of an outgoing steamer after
marking the goods for the captain
of tho port of Havana. New York
| Sun.