No. 336.
Mr. Daggett to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

[Extract.]
No. 73.]

Sir: Referring to your dispatch of April 25, 1883 (No. 22), covering the copy of a letter from Mr. Mosby, United States consul at Hong-Kong, to the collector of customs at San Francisco, stating that large [Page 559] shipments of sugar are being made from Chinese ports to Honolulu for the purpose, as the consul apprehends, of smuggling such sugars into the United States duty free, and especially naming the English steamers Glenelg, Madras, and C. T. Hook as vessels likely to be employed in these shipments; and also referring to your instructions to this legation to give the subject full, attentive and prompt investigation, I have the honor to report as follows:

The English steamer Glenelg arrived at Honolulu from Hong-Kong on the 29th day of March last, and cleared hence for Victoria, British Columbia, on April 24. She brought 470 Chinese passengers, and freights for Honolulu, San Francisco, and Victoria, British Columbia. She was placed in quarantine for fourteen days, after which she was permitted to enter the harbor and discharge such freights as were consigned to this port. Her manifest shows that no sugar was embraced in her freights for these islands, and I am thoroughly satisfied that no-sugar was illicitly landed from the Glenelg.

In substantiation of this opinion I inclose herewith a sworn statement from Mr. P. C. Jones, jr., of the house of C. Brewer & Co., the consignees of the Glenelg, giving a brief account of the arrival and departure of the vessel, with the averment that “she had no sugar on her Honolulu manifest, and none was landed at this port.”

I also inclose a statement from Mr. Allen, collector-general of the Hawaiian Kingdom, affirming that no sugars were landed here from the Glenelg.* * *

I also inclose sworn statements of Mr. Morrill, port surveyor, and of Mr. Collins, one of the customs guards of the port of Honolulu, who remained on board continuously from the day of the arrival until the clay of the departure of the Glenelg, and both certify under oath that nothing was landed from the vessel without a permit.

The English steamer Madras arrived on the 10th of April last from Hong-Kong with 750 Chinese passengers and a small quantity of freight for Honolulu, and Victoria, British Columbia. As small pox was among the passengers, the Madras was quarantined, and still remains in quarantine outside the harbor, under the strictest regulations. She has no sugar as freight. I inclose the sworn statement of Mr. Davies, of the house to which the vessel was consigned, in verification of this statement.

The C. T. Hook has not yet arrived.

Very respectfully, &c.,

ROLLIN M. DAGGETT.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 73.]

Statement of Mr. Jones.

I, P. C. Jones, jr., president and manager of the house of C. Brewer & Co., of Honolulu, Oahu, H. I., do hereby certify under oath that on or about the 29th day of March, 1883, the English steamship Glenelg, Captain Speechly, arrived at this port from Hong-Kong, China, consigned to our house, having on board about 470 Chinese passengers; also a lot of assorted Chinese merchandise for this port, besides other cargo for Victoria, British Columbia, and San Francisco, Cal., to which ports she was also bound. Captain Speechly presented three manifests, one for the Honolulu freight, one for Victoria, and one for San Francisco.

On her arrival at this port she was placed under quarantine, which was strictly observed night and day for a period of fourteen days, during all which time she was anchored in the harbor, having on board a custom-house guard.

[Page 560]

After the expiration of the quarantine the vessel was hauled into the wharf, where she discharged her cargo for this port, only occupying three days, during which time, in addition to the custom-house guard, our own clerk was constantly on the wharf to receive and deliver the goods to the various consignees. As soon as the Hawaiian freight was discharged she again hauled into the stream, where she remained until she sailed for Victoria, which was on or about the 26th day of April, 1883.

She had no sugar on her Honolulu manifest, and none was landed at this port: hut she had a quantity of China sugar on one of the other manifests, and it was all taker away in the vessel to Victoria, B. C.

P. C. JONES, Jr.
United States Consulate,
Honolulu , May 16, 1883.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of May, 1883, and I, the undersigned consul, do hereby certify that P. C. Jones, jr., is well and personally known to me as an American merchant at this port, of high standing, and that the foregoing-statements made and subscribed to by him are worthy of full faith and credence.

D. A. MCKINLEY,
United States Consul.
[Inclosure 2 in No 73.]

Statement of Mr. Allen.

I, William F. Allen, collector-general of customs for the Hawaiian Kingdom, do hereby certify that the British steamer Glenelg, John Speechly master, from Houg-Kong via. Nagasaki, entered at this port on the 29th of March last, and cleared for Victoria, British Columbia, on the 24 th of April last; that the accompanying is a correct copy of the manifest* of said steamer now on file in this office; that these goods and none others were duly entered and landed at this port; that the steamer had goods on hoard for the ports of Victoria, British Columbia, and San Francisco, none of which were landed at, this port; that the value of the goods landed was $4,792.78. Witness my haud and official seal this 17th day of May, 1883.

[seal.]
W. F. ALLEN,
Collector-General
[Inclosure 3 in No. 73.]

Statement of Mr. Morrill.

I, Joseph R. Morrill, port surveyor and guard of the port of Honolulu, island of Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, do hereby certify that the British steamer Glenelg, John Speechly, master, from Hong-Kong via Nagasaki, discharged cargo at this port between March 29, the date of her entry, and April 24, 1883, the date of her clearance; that I examined a large portion of the goods discharged and was satisfied that nothing but the goods permitted was landed; that as long as the steamer was in port I had one officer of the customs guard on board, and two others watching the steamer each night.

JAS. R. MORRILL,
Port Surveyor.

Sworn to and subscribed hefore me this 17th day of May, 1883, and I, the undersigned consul, do hereby certify that J. R. Morrill, port surveyor, is well and personally known to me; that he is a credible person, and that the statements made in the foregoing certificate are worthy of full faith and credence.

D. A. MCKINLEY,
United States Consul.
[Page 561]
[Inclosure 4 in No. 73.]

Statement of Mr. Collins.

I, Douglas Collins, one of the customs guard of the port of Honolulu, island of Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, do hereby certify that I was placed on board the British steamer Glenelg, John Speechly, master, from Hong-Kong via Nagasaki, by the port surveyor on the 29th day of March last, and remained on board until the day the steamer sailed from this port; that I received all permits to discharge cargo issued by the collector-general, and checked the goods by the permits as they were landed; that nothing was landed other than what was covered by the permits now on file in the port surveyor’s office.

DOUGLAS COLLINS,
Custom-House Guard.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of May, 1883, and I, the undersigned consul, do hereby certify that the said Douglas Collins is personally known to me; that he is a credible person, and that the statement hereinbefore made is worthy of full faith and credence.

D. A. McKINLEY,
United States Consul.
[Inclosure 5 in No. 73.]

Statemtnt of Mr. Daxivs.

Know all men by these presents:

That I, Theo. H. Davies, of the firm of Theo. H. Davies & Co., of Honolulu, do declare that the British steamer Madras arrived at this port of Honolulu from Hong-Kong, on the 10th day of April, 1883, with about 750 Chinese passengers, and a small quantity of freight bound for the ports of Honolulu and Victoria, British Columbia.

That the said firm of Theo. H. Davies & Co. are agents at this port for said steamship.

That there is no sugar whatever reported on either manifest.

That the master positively declared to me that he had no sugar in his cargo for Victoria or any other port.

That no sugar or other cargo has been landed from the Madras at Honolulu; and

That I am satisfied that the Madras brought no sugar from Hong-Kong, except what was included in ordinary stores for ship’s use.

THEO. H. DAVIES.

Sworn to and subscribed this 17th day of May, 1883, before me, and I, the undersigned consul, do hereby certify that Theo. H. Davies, whose name is subscribed to the foregoing statement, is a merchant of high standing at this port; that he is the British vice-consul at this port, and well and personally known to me; and that the foregoing statement is worthy of full faith and credence.

D. A. McKINLEY,
United States Consul.
  1. Manifest here omitted.