The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-01-11
SHIPS WILL COME
More Than Thirty Vessels Now
in Port.
VOLUME OF TRADE INCREASING
Opium Struggled Ashore
in Small Lots.
Difficulty in Capturing it-Limited
Force of lCustoms
Guards.

1t has been the boast of the people of
Lahaina that in days gone by as many
as 200 sails have been seen in the bay
there at one time. This was when
whalers made this their headquarters,
and Lahaina was the capital.
Honolulu residents remember when
the bay was dotted with merchant ma
rine, and they remember, too, during
the past few years when the harbOr
has been practically without a sail.
During the past year the shipping in
Honolulu has increased to wonder
full degree and to the old-timers along
the water front, it is an Indication of
revival of the days when Honolulu
was considered a boon to shipping
masters. During the past week there
have been three steamers flying
the Japanese flag, in port at one
time, a circumstance that has new
er occurred before in the history Of
Honolulu. In connection with this it
seven foreign steamers arrived in port.
No better evidence of the commercial
| Importance of Honolulu is needed
| than this.
There are in port at this time 80
vessels discharging or waiting cargoes,
the majority being vessels plying be-
tween the Pacific Coast and Honolulu,
most of them, as will be seen by the
following list, being vessels which
have been running in this trade at
intervals, when the business warrant
ed it, for years past.
The Australia, Monmouthshire, Rio
de Janeiro Qeft last night, B. p. Che
ney, Klikitat, Ardgowan, Lurline, AL
ice Cooke, S. n. Castle, Ceylon, Arch
er, Irmgard, w. II. Dimond, J. G. Glade,
Marie Hackfeld, Samoa, Mohican,
Scray, VIM. G.. Irwin, Honolulu, White
Rose, C. d. Bryant, Matilda, S. p.
| Hitchcock, Amelia, Martha Davis, S.
G.. Wilder, Northbrook, Andrake, r. p.
Rithet. Besides these, there have ar
| rived within the past few weeks the
Ten Shin-Maru, Sacura-Maru, Sin Shu-
Maru. Monowai, Coptic and Miowera.
| With this amount of shipping in port,
| and nearly all the vessels diSchargi0g
cargoes, it is not to be wondered, with
| the limited Customs force that opium
| is struggled ashore and reaches the
| stores of dealers uptown. There are
employed regularly along the water
| front by the Customs authorities five
| discharging officers and four guards,
| and on the night force there are eight
regular guards and two inspectors. in
a rush like occurred last week extra
| inspectors and guards were employed,
| but the force was not commensurate
| with the work to be done.
| Every one knows opium reaches the
| dealers, and the general impression
| is that it gets past the guards on the
wharf. 1t is known, too, that quanti-
ties of it is landed on the other islands,
or in out-of-theway places on this ISL
and, at points not we'll guarded.
When opium is captured uptown
| there is a howl against the Custom
House, because the guards are not as
alert as the policemen. The trouble
bis that there are not enough guards to
go around, and it cannot be expected
that an appropriation of trifle more
| that $1,000 per month is sufficient 20
prevent smuggling in small quantities.
1t is said by men who handle the stuff
! that $50 pounds arrive here by each
| steamer and this is independent of
what comes in crackers, kerosene tins
and general merchandise. The easiest
to catch is that shipped with goods, be-
cause the authorities are constantly in
receipt of information from abroad,
which assists them in ferreting out the
stuff Again, there are parties here
suspected of being in the opium bust
ness, and the law allows the Customs
Department certain privileges in the
matter of opening up goods.
The greatest difficulty has been 10
catch the small trader. men who want
ID add TO their income by bringing in
from 10 to 20 tins of the stuff, and who
are willing to take advantage of the
| limited force employed and get ii
ashore. The recent catch by the 20
lice department, supposed to have come
| off the Australia. is known to have
| been landed from a sailing vessel at
a time when one man had two vessels
to watch. These small smugglers are
having an easy time of ii, because of
the small force. and until ii is increas-
ed the price of dope will be low. and
the police department will have the
credit of making most of the hauls.