[From Home Office File HO 98/75]

Lt Govr Smelt to Under-Secretary of State Phillips 17 May 1828

Castle Rushen 17th May 1828

Sir

The House of Keys having been assembled on the 16th Inst to take into consideration a Bill for the better regulation of the Police of this Island and other Measures of local ameliation, I feel it to be my duty to acquaint you for Mr Secretary Peel's information, that they took that opportunity of addressing me on a subject which as affecting the Character Welfare and Interest of the Inhabitants, has created strong animadversions throughout the Island.

It appears that Mr John Burrow formerly a Merchant in Liverpool taking advantage of some supposed omission in the enactments of the Statute of the 6 Geo 4 Cap 115 has been permitted to import into this Island nearly 30,000 Gallons of an ardent and pernicious Spirit from France at a small ad valorem duty, of which 7,000 Gallons only could be found and were seized by the Collector of the Customs of Liverpool, and the remainder is supposed to be mixed with and sold for Brandy Geneva and Rum to the great injury of the Revenue and the health of the Consumer.

The Keys also adverted to the Trade (now happily prevented by Act of Parliament) recently carried on by certain corn dealers in Liverpool, of making this Island a Depot for Warehousing and grinding foreign Grain, alike injurious to the Revenue and the agricultural Interests of the Island and of Great Britain; and the Keys deeply deploring these transactions as tending to bring the Character of the Island into disrepute, and fearing that their longer silence might be construed into an approval on the part of the Inhabitants, urged the necessity of an investigation into the circumstances under which the exportation of the Spirits took place; but as the Custom House department in this Island is placed immediately under the Board of Customs and is no way under the control of the Government of this Island, I am not aware that I can order any such investigation, which will undoubtedly take place, in consequence of the seizure made by the Collector of Liverpool who was sent to the Island for that purpose.

The Keys concluded their address with expressions of the Loyalty and Attachment of the Inhabitants of the Isle of Man to His Majesty and his Government and solicting the gracious continuance of the indulgent protection which they have heretofore enjoyed under His Majesty's Government and which is now more than ever required in the present impoverished state of the Island evinced by the unprecedented number of emigrations and rapid transfer of property.

I have the honor &c C Smelt Lieut Governor

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