Comly to Mr. Vice-Consul Hastings, May 28, 1879

Mr. Comly to Mr. Vice-Consul Hastings.

Sir: The Secretary of the Treasury has information alleging frauds and contemplated frauds upon the revenue by the repacking of foreign rice and sugar at these islands, and their importation into the United States as the product of these islands, thus evading the duty.

This information (this letter as well) is confidential, and I will ask you to hold it strictly so. Meantime it enters largely into your province to be informed of such frauds and contemplated frauds, if there be any such, and to use your best skill in uncovering and preventing them. Relying upon your faithfulness and skill in the matter, I have the honor to ask your assistance in the discovery of the facts of the case, and reporting them to me at the earliest practicable time, in order that I may comply with certain instructions directed to me with reference to these alleged frauds.

• Do you know of any frauds or contemplated frauds upon the revenue of the United States, through which sugars and rice produced in other countries are brought to the Hawaiian Islands, repacked, and subsequently shipped to the United States for free entry under the provisions of the treaty?
• Please state what facilities you know of for the prosecution of such a scheme of fraud; whether there are not remote harbors on the islands affording facilities for transshipment and repacking of cargoes without risk of discovery, and whether there are not opportunities and temptations to provoke parties to the prosecution of such illegal traffic.
• State what facilities are within your control for the discovery and prevention of such fraudulent shipments.
• In your judgment what would be the attitude of the authorities and people of these islands toward any such breach of the treaty, and what opportunities for connivance and assistance would the case present?
• State whether there are or are not peculiarities characteristic of Hawaiian rice and sugar, such as would enable an expert to detect attempts to import the product of other countries as Sandwich Island rice or sugar.
• Such other information as you may have bearing on the question.

I would be glad to have an answer as early as practicable.

Very respectfully,