[Appendix A(29) 1792 Report of Commissioners of Inquiry]

N° 29.

The EXAMINATION of SENHOUSE WILSON, Esq. Deputy Receiver General Isle of Man, taken at Douglas the 28th Day of Sept. 1791.

[Examined by the Duke of Atholl.]

MR. WILSON saith, that he has resided in this Island since the Year 1773, and from the 5th July of that Year, has acted in the Capacity of Deputy Receiver General, some Part of the Time as acting Receiver General; that he is acquainted with the Mode of collecting the Herring Custom. As soon as the Herring Fishing Season is over, public Notice is given by the Coroners of each Sheading to the Master of each Herring Boat in their District to
Attend at the Custom House in Douglas, on a Day fixed to pay the Herring Custom due to His Majesty for the preceding Season. He does not know of any Instance where the Collection of this Duty has been the Means of detecting or preventing illicit Practices.

[Cross-examined by the Keys.]

He does not think that the Collection of this Custom being in the Hands of Government is any check upon illicit Practices. It consists with his Knowledge that the Herring Custom has been collected from Boats belonging to Great Britain and Ireland, and not belonging to this Island, coming to fish upon the Coasts of the Isle of Man, whether they came into Port or not.

[Re-examined by the Duke of Atholl.]

To the Best of his Recollection, some Years ago fifteen or sixteen Irish Wherries paid this double Herring Custom.

SENHOUSE WILSON.

Jn^o Spranger.
W^m Osgoode.
Will^m Roe.
David Reid.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2008