T 1 434/72 Extract of a Letter from Mr Murray to the Earl of Halifax

Cover note St James's 10th Octobr 1764

Lord Halifax presents his Compliments to Mr Grenville, and sends herewith, for His Informatioin, the Extract of a Letter from Mr Murray, His Majesty's Minister at Venice containing His Observations upon the order in Council for preventing the illicit Trade carried on at the Isle of Man.

[reformatted for easier reading on screen]

Venice 21st September 1764

I am greatly afraid, that the Order in Council for preventing the illicit Trade carried on at the Isle of Man, will not produce the Effect proposed by it; for, by the original Grant of this Island, the Powers given to the Lord of it are so extensive, that I don't find how it is possible to prevent the carrying on of that illicit Trade.

The Time that the Smugglers do their Business is generally in the dark Nights, and I myself have formerly seen many of them sail out of the Harbours under the Stern of a Custom house Ship, tho' commanded by a very diligent Officer. These Smuggling Boats are remarkable good Sailors; they keep close under the Land; if they find themselves pursued & that the King's Ship is near them, when they come to the Point of the Island, they run into some Creek. It is impossible for the King's Ship to wait for them, as the Tides make so very strong along Shore. If they have a few Miles Start, the Run is so short that no Ship can reach them; & the Bays of those Ports where the chief of this Trade is carried on, have so bad anchoring Ground, that Ships are in constant danger of going ashore that I should really imagine that that Method would not pay the Expence; nor can I devise any other effectual one, but the Crown's making a Purchase of the Island; which I should imagine might easily be effected.

It is near three & twenty years since I knew anything of that Island; the clear Income at that Time amounted to between four & five thousand Pounds to the Proprietor, which arose chiefly from the Duties upon these Imports. The Quit Rents of the Island, which amount to about 13 hundred Pounds a Year, do very little more than pay the Officers of the civil Government.

It is impossible to calculate the Damage which the Revenue of the Crown sustains by this Trade; but it must be very considerable, for which Reason it would pay any Sum of Money that should be agreed upon to give for it; & it must answer greatly to the Duke of Athol to have an Over Value for four thousand Pounds a Year.

I have often had the honor to talk with the late Mr Pelham upon this Subject; & He said, the great Difficulty the Government found was what to do with it when purchased. This is a Consideration I shall not presume to enter into: but I should imagine some Trade might easily be found out more beneficial to the Original Inhabitants, which I am certain will chiefly fall under Your Lordship's Consideration as there are near thirty four thousand Inhabitants, all of the Church of England, & very sincerely attached to His Majesty's Person & Government, the chief of the illicit Trade being carried on by Foreigners; most of whom were, in the Time I was conversant with the Island, Roman Catholicke.

Notes

The Mr Murray is James Murray, the first Governor appointed by the Atholl Lords, previously Receiver General of Scotland and a relative of the Atholls - at the time of this letter he had been the Ambassador to Venice under three Monarchs George I, II and III.