[From Atholl Papers - AP 33B-17]

[Letter to Duke of Atholl re events post Revestment]

Castletown July 24 1765

May it please your Grace

Your Grace's letter of the 30 June & 8^th inst Mr Mylrea had the honor to receive

The Gov^r having wrote to the ministry, that he found himself restrained from continuing Mr Quayle in the office of Clerk of the Rolls; as he had been, and was in your Grace's employ, and as such, excepted against in his Majesty's proclamation, received for answer that your Grace's service should be no barr against your Grace's stewards holding any place under the government whereupon Mr Quayle was on the 22d admitted to that office ; but Mr Mylrea is still out of employ.

We beg leave to inform your Grace that as soon as we found the merch^ts had gone thro' their hurrys we applyed by letter requesting them to settle the entrys & duties for their teas, on the landing whereof in the beginning of May last the necessitys of the times would not admit of the usual formalities of entering - to which on the 22^d we received by answer a representation of their extraordinary expence and losses attending the occasion, and that they therefore hoped not to have been called upon for your Grace's duties, and intimated their design of addressing your Grace for an exemption.

After there were so many cutters and spies in every harbour and about this Isle, the merchants applyed to the Gov^r who with the approbation of the Council agreed to dispense with the particular forms time and place of entering and landing their teas, which liberty it was plain they would have taken and all your Graces force could not have prevented, for even civil processes could not be served where that business was carryed on - wherefore the merch^ts latterly had boats stationed to meet their ships in the channel and in the night to pilot them unto certain bye-creeks where they had men ready to discharge the ship and conceal the cargo in a few hours.

It was hoped that the merchants would not have made this use of the exigency of the time - this it must be owned that the precipitate and incommodious manner in which they were obliged to land and hide their teas, exposed them to great losses and expence - and particularly with respect to those landed in the month of May the duties whereof are now wanted to be accounted for.

Such was the circumstances of affairs that more regular measures could not then have been taken. And till we have your Grace's directions, the full extent of our power at present is to apprize your Grace of the affair and the intended application, that your Grace may have leisure to consider of the matter - we have the honor to be

Your Graces most obedient and most humble servants

Dan Mylrea, John Quayle