The San Francisco call., 1903-09-12


- strong First Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury and N. N. Stranahan, Collector of the Port of
New York, for the purpose of investigating at this
port number of matters of whichs there has been
great deal of well founded complaint.
part of the work of investigation will be that of
inquirng into the needs of California in the way of
better provision for the safety of shipping. Upon
such matters it is hardly likely there will be any con-
fict of testimony difference of opinion among
those whom the visiting officials may question. 1t is
well known there is an urgent need for improved
system Of lghtships beacons bnoys fog signals etc.
along the coast and the investigators will readily find
ample evidence to sustain all that the city and the
State have asked for in that respect
The issue with which the visit of the officials is
chiefly concerned is that involved in the claim OF the
Collector OF the Port of Honolulu to examine and
inspect that port the baggage and personal effects
of all passengers who arrive there their way to
San Francisco. The claim has doubtless some rea-
sons to justify IT, and yet it is certain that however
good such reasons may be they are than offset
by those which advanced by the obectors. Homo
lulu is about miles distant from San Francisco
and it is self evident that customs inspection of bag
gage at that point cannot be made effective pre-
smuggling here while it and invariably does
cause immense amount of annoyance to passen-
gers.
The ineficiency of inspection at Honolulu for the
purpose of preventing smuggling at San Francisco
will be apparent to any one who reflects upon the
problem. AS the would-be smuggler does not intend
to leave the ship at Honolulu he can remove the
dutiable articles from his baggage secree them about
his bed other place the ship and then
pass his baggage up for inspection with impunity.
AS the inspection is over he can replace the
dutiable articles and come to this port serene in the
that he has his certificate of inspection and
his permit to land and come ashore without
further -rorlhle
Inspection at Honolulu is therefore advantageous
to the woud-be smugger at San Francisco but it is
great annoyance honest passengers In the first
place while the ship waits at Honolulu most passen-
gers would like to be free to see the city and some of
the sights OF the island but If they are detained on
shipboard TO have their baggage inspected they are
deprived of that pleasure. That, however is by no
the end OF their trouble for when the inspec-
tion has been made the Honolulu officers place Gus
toms seals the trunks and boxes they have in
spected and thus passengers are compelled to make
the voyage of 1000 miles without access to their bag
gage. Under any circumstances such restrictions
would be nuisance, but when it is remembered that
the voyage from Honolulu to San Francisco is Jour
ney from the warmth of the tropics to one of the
coolest and breezest points of the temperate zone it
will be seen that to exclude passengers from an op-
portunty to change their clothing before arrival here
is tc subject them to risks OF a serious injury to
health
1t is hardly necessary to go over all the defects
Disadvantages annoyances and irrtatons that are in
hcrent in any system of customs inspection 1000 miles
from the port passengers desire to enter One might
well establish the inspection for the Allan
tic Coast, not at Boston, New York or Philadelphia
bit in Ireland The fact that Honolulu is politically
Fart OF the United States does not affect the com
merc.al remoteness of the port from this city not
does it the natural effects OF time and dis
tance Inspection at that point is too far away tc
serve any good purpose and as result it is chiefly
notable for its annoyances and for the number of pro
tests that have been sent to Washington against a
continuance of II.