Evening star., 1896-07-02
RED TAPE IN THE WEST INDIES
DfMculties Attending the Importation
of Arms for SpOrtsmen.

DlMcult1es Attending the Importation
Of Arms for SpOrtsmen.
From the New York Tribune
MANY curious customs are part and par
Gel of the governmental system of the vari-
GUS islands composing the Dutch West In
dies. but nothing stranger has ever happen
ed to me than an experience 1 have just
ccme safely out Of
The speaker was a prominent business
| man who has just returned from those
isMnds. where he has been trying to build
| up reciprocal relations for the benefit of an
exporting firm in New York city. Con-
tinuing his narration he said:
Il had been in Caracas for some months.
and finally had gone over to Curacao, and
was going back and forth between that
point and Aruba. l expected to have to go
over to Honduras on business which would
take me up into the mahogany country OIL
the Patuca river. 1 was aware of the con-
ai.l9ns, ana3n J., and as we were to lighter some
goods up the river and would be gone some
weeks. If not months, l sent word to my
partners here in New York to send me two
rifles, fowling piece and a revolver. They
forwarded me two Marlin rifles, one 3S
and one "A caliber; Remington fowling
piece and "A caliber Smith & Wesson re-
volver, together with LOCO rounds of am
munition. l instructed them to send the
Honduras. They went to the Dutch con-
sui here In New York and filed an affidavit
to the effect that the guns were for nv
personal use. and stated explicitly that
they were for export to Honduras, and that
affidavit alone saved me from a deal OF
dlhculty and the loss of the arms in addi-
ton by confiscation.
There is a law in the Dutch West Indies
against importing firearms for any purpose
whatsoever. Well sir, the instant the box
containing the rifles, shotgun and revolver
was unloaded at the pier the whole outfit
was Sc zed by the government and convey
ed to the arsenal, and 1 was hauled up to
explain. With the affidavit to back me up,
petitioned the government, as 1 was
ABOUT 10 go to Aruba, to have the things
sent on there for export to Honduras on
the schooner in which l was to SAIL The
order was given to the governor Of Aruba
w men 1 got there, however, my plans for
c!ded to return to New York from Aruba.
80 Off L went to the governor and asked
MIN for change in the permit that would
eilow me to take the arms back to New
YORK with me. Did 1 get 1t? Not much,
he had been ordered to send the arms on
| TO Honduras, and to Honduras they must
go, uiiiess obtained recall of the order
from the government headquarters at Gu
racao. would have been tempted to
snuggle the troublesome articles out but
| could not lay my hands on them, for they
were In the arsenal at Aruba. Well,
wrote 10 curacao, and orders were given to
| nave them returned to Curacao. The box
ana myself went back on the same boat
put never glimpse did l get of it,
| arrived at Curacao, l went once more
| 10 10 the government to sec about the permit.
Ihe course of the schooner which was to
take me to Honduras had been changed
ana she had been ordered to New York
with cargo. l asked the government to
permit me to take the arms on board the
schooner. The officials smiled at what they
| looked upon as shallow subterfuge. and
| simply told me to arrange my passage. let
| them know, and they would do the rest
| nnally TOOK passage on the Prince F'reder-
| lex, and sent word to the office The morn
| ing we We're to sail was standing on the
| oeck wondering what would be the next
| move, when suddenly file of soldiers an.
peared. guarding coffin-shaped box. A
fetty officer came up on deck at the head
| OF the file and called my name | respond
| ed. and said he might have the box placed
| IN IN my state room. No, you don't he re-
| Piled. III his best form. They will be given
TO the purser for delivery to you on the
pier In New York city Well, sir that
| was just what they aid. They turned the
pcX over to him with rigid orders, and
never saw it again till we arrived here.
had never seen the guns till L opened the
Dcx mere in my Office this afternoon inst
now l am puzzled how | am going to get
the stun to Honduras if ever L decide to 90
ihere Anyway, L can't hope to beat the
Dutch West Indian government"