GR1/73 - An impartial enquiry

This document consisting of some 20 pages of manuscript, held by the Manx Museum, would appear to be very similar to that used by G.H. Wood where dated to c.1760 and attributed to a Capt Weber - however the opening paragraph of this text refers to it being produced for the perusal of Henry Pelham, described as 'prime minister' of Great Britain from 1743 to his death in 1754 - which would be compatible with a date in the early 1750s. Wood's text would appear to have additional comments and though identical in most paragraphs, some paragraphs include more detail (eg the date of the author being in the Collector's office is dated to 1747) and some are missing.

Text

A most faithfull and impartial inquiry of the State of the Isle of Man, with respect to its constitution, and the different branches of Trade crept into that Island of late years, is most humbly offered by a Person who from the nature of his Employment during the space of Eighteen years, must be conversant with the Policy and Trade of the Island, to the perusal of the Right Honble Henry Pelham Esqr.

Before the act of settlement made in the Isle of Man in the year 1703. All Persons held their lands, either for a term of years, three lives, or during pleasure; but by that settlement they had their holdings granted for ever paying such a Rent, and such a Sum at the fall of every life, agreeable to the then composition. The amount of the Lords Rent for the whole Island does not exceed £1500 a year, exclusive of what is paid at the fall of each life.

Before the union the natives of the Island in general, were so extreamly Poor, that they could not pay their annual Rent, notwithstanding the Lord of the Island took a part of the Rent in Cattle; at that time cattle were the only valuable consideration the Island was capable of Offering for it was a more barren place, and destitute of what was sufficient for the support of its own inhabitants.

The Island is govern'd by 24 Members called Keys, they have a Chairman, and proceed in all Cases in the nature of a Parliament. All laws, all matters of consequence, relative to the Island are immediately under their consideration, but nothing can be enacted, nor any former Act repeal'd till such time as the whole proceedings of the House are laid before the Lord of the Island, who has an absolute negative in himself.

Their Military list consists of a Governour, a Major General, Captains to all their Forts, and a very inconsiderable number of soldiers.

The civil list, two Deemsters or Lord Chief Justices and all proper Officers of the Court, a Collector for the whole Island and Collectors for every Port, with all other proper Officers for the collection of the Revenues.

The Trade of the Island began to increase and flourish from the Union, 'till that time in which an Act was pass'd in England absolutely prohibiting the importation of all Goods into England or Ireland, from the Isle of Man, except what was its own produce and from the commencement of this Act, there was almost a total stagnation of Trade, in so much that after the payment of the Civil Lists and Military lists there were little or nothing left : in this situation did the Island remain, till the death of the Earl of Derby and its Trade continuing in the hands of a few natives and some Papists.

Immediately on the island Devolving to the Duke of Athol, Trade now visibly began to increase and the Revenues from £500 a year to £5000, an encouragement being given to all Fugitives without the least regard to the nature of the Crimes, that had neccessitated them to seek this place of refuge. The Duke of Athol appoints James Murray (then Receiver General of Scotland) Governor of the Island, a Person of most natural strong good Parts but unhappily most strongly influenced by Principles which are so peculiar to people of that nation and to crown all his notions and principles were confirmed by a French Education; so that on the whole he was the most proper person in the World for the Duke of Athol; the first Step Mr Murray takes on his entering into Office is to prepossess the mind of the People, that the Revenues of this Island are most triffleing and insignificant, and the better to assist him in this Scheme, he makes the Controller who is likewise keeper of the Rolls, a Collector by which means his Employment is equal if not superior in point of profit to the Governors, this consequently will attach him the stronger to Secrecy, he is the only Person who makes the Accounts for the whole Island nor is he suffered to keep a Clerk, so that during his Reign things were so admirably well conducted that it was with difficulty, that one could with any degree of certainty, say, what frauds were, or were not committed.

About three years before the demise of the Earl of Derby, they began to suffer the importation of Debenture Tobacco, but with the utmost secrecy and Caution, as knowing that if this most pernicous branch of Trade was discovered, it must certainly strike at the foundation of the Islands Priviledges, so that if a Tobacco Ship did discharge, it was in the night, or she lay out in ther Bay and put her Cargo into small Boats, which were privately landed in different parts of the island, but on Mr Murray coming to the Helm, he plainly found that acting in this cautious manner must be attended with great opportunitys of defrauding the Duke of Athol of his dutys; therefore he peremptorilly ordered Bulk not to be broke, til such time as the Master had reported her Cargo and the quantity to the Comptroller, and duly paid for the whole, this order was a most masterly stroke of Policy, for it not only increas'd the Duke of Athol's Revenues but it gave the utmost Encouragement to the inhabitants, to extend their trade and to invite others to come and settle in the Island, for formerly some of the Irish Papists used to have large Cargos of Debenture Tobacco, from England and Scotland, under the pretext of carrying it abroad, but they stop'd in some of the Bays of the isle of Man and with Irish Wherrys unladed her and afterwards sent those Boats to different Parts of Ireland by which means the Islasnd became an assilum for this infamous Trade with little Profit to the Duke or Encouragement to the Traders who live in the Island; This order of Mr Murray's is a strong assistant to us in accounting for that monstrous increase of the Revenues for trade not only became more considerable, but it was next to an impossibility for any person to land any sort of Goods in the Island, till such time as the dutys were paid, and to this hour things are conducted in the same channel as he left them.

I was with the Collector in his office sometime ago, and as there was an intimacy I walked to and fro and accidentally cast my Eye on what he was writing, I observed a Sheet of paper divided into four Columns, each containing several Sums and the Total cast up at the Bottom of each Column and the respective quarter of the year before each Total, in order as I support to examine the Book or to make a yearly abstract to examine the Books or to make a yearly abstract; the produce of one quarter was about £1100 the other £300 from that to £900, this was the produce of the Customs only for the Receiver General has a seperate Office, where he receives the Duke's Rents. By this may be made an estimate of what the Crown suffers yearly, the Duty on Spirits being only a penny @ Gallon, Tobacco halfpenny @ pound, Wine five shillings @ Hogshead, Tea and East India's Goods Sixpence in the Pound Value first cost.

It remains to show how those different Goods are brought to the Island and afterwards how and where they are exported to.

During the whole Course of the War Goods were imported into the Island under the Sanction of Portugal, Sweds and Deans [Danes], which were all in fact our own Vessels, but under the protection of those neutral Colours, several of whom have been met with in St Georges Channel, by his Majesty's Ships of War, who on boarding and rummageing of them find by the declaration of the different masters that those who come from the Southward declare themselves bound for neutral Ports in the North quarter and those from the Northward in the South quarter they have all fictitious bills of Lading, Letters of instructions, and bills of consignment for those nominal Ports when boarded by a King's Ship, to whom they have not only declared themselves bound to some of those nominal Ports, but they also have produced bills of lading and other papers to that purpose, notwithstanding which declarations they have instantly after the King's Ship left them stood their Course for the Isle of Man, and there discharged all their Cargo; it is from those Vessels they receive all their Spirits, Wines, Tea and other East India Goods.

As to their Tobacco they get it from Liverpool, Whitehaven and Greenock; the manner they put this fraud in execution is thus; No Debenture being allowed for the consumption of Tobacco in the Isle of Man, so that when they load at Liverpool, or Bristol, they clear out for Druton, Chistian Sands, and other Ports in Norway, those from Greenock, and the Northern Ports clear out for Jersey, Guernsey Camphere &c the reason of this method of clearing out is always so strictly observed by the Proprietors of the Tobacco, is from the very Situation of the Ports, in which they lade their Ships, as they must necessarilly and unadvoidably in their way to any of these Ports, which they clear out for, go close to the Isle of Man, so that if they are met close in with the Island by a King's Ship, they answer they are standing their proper course for their Nominal Ports, but when it is dark they directly stand for the Island, and get into some small Neck or Creek, and there discharge, it being impossible for a King's Ship to prevent it.

The Island is situated nearly in the center of the channel, I mean with respect to the Isle of Anglesa, the Mull of Gallway, in Scotland, and the North East of Ireland, the greatest distance from any of these places to the Island not exceeding 18 or 20 leagues, and some not above 8 or 9 leagues.

In the Southernmost part of this Island is a town called Douglas, with acommoding Port as this is the nearest Port in the Island to Wales and Dublin, the trade is carry'd on from thence to Wales in small Sloops, the Cargo's are Brandy, Rum, Wine, Tea &c. If they are met mid channel by a King's Ship declare bound for Norway, or produce Coast Cocquet for some other part of the Island. The trade from Douglas extends from the Southward of Waterford in Ireland, to the Northward of Drogheda they generally are prime sailing Wherry's that ply between the Part of Ireland, and the Island, So that is but seldom they are taken, but when they are boarded nothing is to be found, for when they take in their Cargo's at the Island they put Stones into the Bags, in which the East India Goods are and as to the Casks of Spirits they divide them so many into a Lot, which are bound fast to one another by Cords to which are tyed large Stones sufficient to sink them, while they are sinking they take Land Marks, by which when the Vessel that boarded them is gone, they can return and creep or thrall for them, amd they surely finds their Goods again, an Instance of which happened sometime ago, for one of their Vessels being chaced by a Kings Ship, She threw overboard all her Cargo, three Months after one of her Crew turn'd informer, discovered the Marks, the Goods were thrawled for, and found.

On the Northside of the Island is a town Peel-town which extends its Trade from Drogheda so far to the Northward as Derry, vast number of Horses are daily carry'd from this part of Ireland and clandestinely run into Scotland, the people in their return Home call at the Isle of Man, then lay out all their Money in Spirits, Wines, Tobacco, Tea &c for which they sold their Horses; those Vessels in their return to Ireland if boarded by a Kings Ship in the channel, declare themselves bound for Pharro [Faroes], and Shetland Islands off the North of Scotland, but subject to the King of Denmark; from Peeltown to the Mull of Galway in Scotland is not above 8 leagues, so that from the Port all the West of Scotland even to the Northern Highlands are supplyed with Spirits, Wine, Tobacco, Tea &c.

On the East side of the Island is a Town called Ramsey from its commodious situation and the Smallness of the distances all the West of England from Liverpool to Dumfry's in Sotland are Supply'd with Spirits, Wine, Tobacco, Tea &c.

Those Towns I have mentioned are the only places in the Island, that either imports or exports.

I believe from what has already been said it most evidently appears, that this Island is of more prejudice to his Majesty's Revenue than had hitherto been believed.

I now shall beg leave most humbly to offer a scheme, which if put into execution, I flatter myself will most effectally put a damp to the trade of the Island, or at least lay the Duke of Athol under a necessity of parting with the Island to the Crown, on most reasonable Terms.

I have already taken notice of the Poverty of the Island, and the difficulty the people of the Island had, in paying their Rents; to this day the same Difficultys do the original inhabitants of the Island labour under, few or none of them are concerned in a Forign Trade, so that all their liberty and happiness of Trade consists in their Herring Fishery, which if properly and industrously conducted would be of infinite profit, and advantage to the Island, as the parliament of England has been so good as to grant a Drawback on Salt, for the Encouragement of that Fishery, now those Poor inhabitants are under great Pannicks of Fear and apprehension, that when once the Parliament of England, are made sensible of what an infinite loss this Island is to the Crown they will instantly take the Drawback of Salt and must end in their inevitable Destruction.

The Bishop for this several years past has preached against the Importation of Debenture Tobacco and the unlawfullness of it and most earnestly desired the Islanders not to be concerned in it, one Mr Stevenson who was Chairman to the 24 Keys joined the Bishop, and were so far successfull that they never could make a Law to impose those dutys which the Lord of the Island laid on Spirits, Tobacco and East India Goods &c so that at this hour, they levy their dutys without any Law even pass'd among themselves.

In the year 1743 the 24 Keys met, and had it under their consideration to address the Duke of Athol, and remonstrate against the importation of Debenture Tobacco, this was so secretly managd that the Governor had no knowledge of it, till the Chairman presented it to him, he was never more at a loss how to answer them on this occasion it touched him in the tenderest sense, and four Months after he was recalled, and suceeded by Governor Lindsey; the remonstrance was suppressed, and could not be heard of Since; So that from the conduct of the 24 Keys, and the sense of the Islanders in general they abhor all foreign and clandestine trade, and only submit thro a fatal necessity of the Islands being the property of a Person who has a despotick Power, and will encourage foreigners to live there and smugle. So that I humbly am of opinion if the Parliament would take it into their consideration, to prohibit the exportation of Salt from Britain to the Isle of Man, that it would rouze and inflame the minds and spirits of the People, that they would no longer bear the yoke of bondage and Servitude but apply to the Parliament of England to redress them, for besides all this there is the strongest antipathy and prejudice handed down among the islanders from one Generation to another against the Scotch that can possibly subsist between Creatures of the same Species for there was an old Act Suibsisting that if any person killed a Scotchman he only forfeited three white Goat Skins (which in those days were not of the least value) this law was occasioned by the Scotch making frequent incursions, nor was the Law repeal'd till the Duke became Lord of the Island.

2ndly If the Cruisers and Kings Ships had absolute and Positive orders, to seize all small Vesells that were laden with Contraband Goods if found out of the limits of the Ports of the Island, it would be a great Terrour, and be the greatest means of putting a Stop to the running for if they are now met within three or four miles iff the Island Headlands they produce a Cocquet, and say they are bound from one Port of the Island to another. I am sure the Duke must assume a power to exert his Priviledges and Royalty's of the Island in that, which are not in the grant of the Island, so this material point at least ought to be settled and enquired into.

3rdly As there is an Act of Parliament made in England that no East India Goods, shall be imported, on any Account into the Isle of Man but from England, and that by certificate, directions should be given to all the Crisers and Kings Ships, that if they saw any Ship in their Bays or harbours, unloading of East India Goods, in opposition to this law they then should seize such Ship, and prosecute her as the Law in such a Case directs, but till orders are given to that Purpose, no Seizures will be made, for at present few or none know that there is such an Act, or how far it extends.

4thly If the Parliament would enquire what right the Duke of Athol has to raise and levy Dutys on the Importation of Brandy, Rum, Tobacco, and East India Goods &c for by his grant of the Island he has no such Right.

The two late Acts of Paliament in Ireland to prevent the running of Goods is one particular instance, among many of the difference between Speculative and practical knowledge, before the passing of the first of those Acts, several Seizures were made at Sea, especially near the Shoare before the Goods were landed, the cause of which was as follows.

There are several Merchants in Dublin, who join in a Company, and bring Brandy Tea and Tobacco from the Island, those people usually employ Boats which are called Wherrys, which belong to several fishing Towns on the Northside of Dublin called Fingall, those Boats carry from 15 to 20 Tun, their freight comes to £15 one with another, they sail from Ireland in about eight hours to the Island, and when they return they keep at a proper distance from the Coast, so as they can't be seen from the Shoare, and come in about midnight at a place before appointed which they sometimes alter for fear of after informations, by this method Seizures were rarely made at Sea, at last some of the Kings Officers by large Premiums given to some of the Boatmen got intelligence at what place they were to land Cargo's on their return from the Island, by this means the Kings cruising Boats would be near the place this boat was to come to and seize her, thus several Boats with their Cargo's were taken, but those informations for sometime were but seldom, but at last being oftner than usual the Runner found out the Cause, and used several ways to Prevent it.

At last the Commissioners in Ireland thinking to suppress the Trade, got an Act passed to burn all Boats found with prohibited Goods, this put a most effectual Stop to all informations of that kind, for it has firmly united the Boatmen and the smugling Merchants particularly in this place, as all the Boatmen here, are a Colony of people who all came over with the Earl of Chepstow and are all friends and Relations, and will not inform against one anothers Boats, as they know that they must be burnt, so that now one Seizure in Ten is not made that was formerly tho there are about double the Cargo's run, the last Act if possible is worse than the former for by giving but one third to the Officer it subjects him to bribery and corruption, and to the honest diligent Officer his proportion is so small that it is not in his Power to pay his informer or to put himself to any Expence in looking out for Seizures, so that on the whole the smuglers have gained their point, and Act with impunity, the cause assigned for the last Act are most absurd in themselves, for the person who introduced it into the House in order to have it enacted, says it was to prevent a Coalition between the Merchant and Officer, but had he consider'd it a little, he would have found that impossible, for Brandy sells in the Island from half a Crown to three Shillings @ Gallon, and it is afterwards sold in Ireland from five Shillings to four and Six pence, so that after all the Merchants charges of freight and first cost, how was it possible for him and the Officer to enter into Schemes to the prejudice of His Majesty's Revenues, when his moiety of a Seizure would greatly exceed what the Smugler could afford to give him.

I had almost forgot to observe, that there has been two or three very considerable Seizures of Tobacco made lately, which were destined for the Isle of Man, the Proprietors of which are most violently prosecuted by the Commissioners of Edinburgh, it has so alarmed and terrify'd the smuglers in Tobacco, that they know how to Act, as they now find so many difficulty's in obtaining their Debenture or Drawback, and particularly their difficulty's are increas'd and they greatly suppress'd since Mr Corthine was sent down to Greenock as Collector, who is a most excellent good Officer, an Instance of which is, that for several years past it was hardly known that an Entry was made in any part of Scotland by a Ship with Spirits, but since he came there has been several which shews what might be done by an unbias'd Officer.

The people of Greenock are so much disconcerted in their former Schemes, as to their fraudulent practices in Tobacco, by this Mr Corthine and the above Prosecutions that they & the Merchants of the Isle of Man have fallen on a Method to put it almost out of an Officers power either to stop the Debenture or to make a Seizure, by this Method a Ship clears out for Guernsey or any other foriegn Port, there leaves her Cargo, and brings from thence a certificate of its being their landed, on which the Debenture is paid, then this Ship or another belonging to the Proprietors of the first Cargo cleared out for Guernsey, and there deposits her second Cargo, for which she obtains a certificate, and in her return home takes on board that Cargo which she left there the former Voyage and lands it in the Isle of Man, or smugles it as Opportunity shall Offer.

The Author of this if admitted to the honour of an Audience, could more fully explain the affairs of this Island and would lay down such methods as might prevent in a great measure the trade of the Island, till such time as the Parliament should have leisure to enquire into it.

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