No. 179.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Peking, March 7, 1888. (Received April 21, 1888.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that the attention of this legation has been brought by the foreign office to the practice of smuggling fire-arms, which, under the treaty, are contraband of war, by sailors in the employ of foreign steamers plying to the port of New-Chwang. [Page 266] This illicit traffic seems to have been carried on for along time, and it is said that the arms are sold to a class of outlaws and brigands who infest the eastern Manchurian provinces. The Government, naturally, is anxious to put a stop to it, and even suggests that when foreign sailors are detected in this illegal business they should be deported by their respective consuls to their native lands, and for bidden to again engage themselves as sailors on the China coast. I have informed the Yamên that I will co-operate with the Chinese authorities in trying to stop this illicit business and have promised to instruct our consuls to use every legal means to prevent citizens of the United States from violating the treaty in this respect.
I do not apprehend, however, that there will ever be any complaints of this nature against our citizens, as there are very few engaged as sailors on this coast.
I have, etc.,