T 1/437/169 - Instructions given to Charles Lutwidge

To Charles Lutwidge Esqr Surveyor General and Supervisor for the County of Cumberland, Westmoreland and the Port of Lancaster.

Instruction given by the Commissioners for Managing and Causing to be levied and Collected his Majesty's Customs &c

The Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury having signified to Us, their directions by Mr Jenkinson's Letter of the 13th Instant, that We should send You to the Isle of Man, with a sufficient Number of experienced and discreet Officers properly Authorized by Our Deputation, to repair to the said Island immediately after the first of next Month, for the immediate prevention of any illicit Commerce, by a due Execution of the Law made against it, and to furnish them with Instructions for their Assistance and Direction in the discharge of their Duty.

1st We direct You to repair to the said Isle, by the first day of June next, and from and after that day - to Act in and over all parts of the said Isle, and on the Coasts thereof, as Surveyor General of His Majesty's Customs, and to execute there, all the Powers and Authorities given to Surveyors General of the Customs in Great Britain ; And that You may be the better enabled to do this in the most Effectual manner, all the Officers of this Revenue sent over; for the present to Act as such in the Isle of Man, are to receive all their Instructions, Orders and directions from You.

2d Upon Your Arrival in the said Isle, You are to wait on the Governor, who shall be appointed by his Majesty ; and deliver to such Governor a Letter from this Board whereby he will be acquainted with the occasion of Your being sent Over, and be desired to give You, and all the other Officers of this Revenue who shall be sent thither, whatever assistance or Protection You may find necessary to enable You and then to discharge Your and their respective Duties in the most effectual manner.

3d You shall as soon as possible endeavour to take an Account of the Quantities of each Species of High Duty or Prohibited Goods lodged in each Port, and also call upon the Merchants to give a particular Account in Writing, what part thereof were imported before the 1st March last and lodged there for the African Trade only, at the same time, using Your utmost endeavors to find out, whether the Merchants under the Sanction of the said Indulgence, attempt to screen or Ship off to the Ports in this Kingdom, Goods which were not really, and Originally intended for that Trade.

4th Upon your Arrival at each Port on the said Island, You are to be particularly exact and carefull, in remarking what precautions for the Security of the Revenue can now be can now be taken to prevent Running from thence unto these Kingdoms the High Duty and Prohibited Goods, now lodged there, as well as to put a stop to the Importation of such Goods there, for the future.

5th You are carefully to View the Coasts of the said Isle both by Sea and Land, and all the Ports, Creeks, and Harbours thereof; and lay before Us such remarks, and Observations touching the same, as You shall judge to be Material for our Consideration.

6th You are to station such Officers of this Revenue as shall be for the present sent into the Isle of Man, at such places therein as You shall think proper; And you are to change or alter those Stations from time to time as You may have cause to think most condusive to the Good of the Service; And when You shall have had sufficient time and Opportunity to form a more accurate judgement, than may yet be, of the Nature and Number of Employments, which it may be expedient to Establish, on the part of this Revenue, in the said Isle, and of the respective Salaries to be appointed to those Employments. You are to report to Us, fully and distinctly Your Opinion touching the same, and everything relative thereto.

7th If you find cause to suspect the conduct of any Officer of this Revenue, now to be sent over as before mentioned, You are hereby Authorized and directed to send him back to his own Station at the Port from whence He shall have been Ordered on this occasion and very Important Service. But You are to acquaint Us immediately with Your having sent back such Officer ; and with the Nature of Your Suspicions that the Grounds thereof may be hereafter inquired into upon a Charge then first given to the suspected Officer ; And You may in this case recommend to Us any other Officer You wish to have sent over in his stead.

8th As We apprehend the refractory disposition of a great Number of Men long accustomed to carry on in the most daring manner, and in open defiance of the Laws of this Kingdom, and of Ireland (and under the Countenance of their own Law, and their own Magistrates) the Mischevous practice of Smugling, may render some Military force Necessary especially at first; to keep those People from opposing and insulting such Persons are Authorized and required to carry into Execution, the important purposes of the above mentioned Act. We doubt not but such Force will be Ordered to be there by the said first day of June : in which case You and the other Officers of this Revenue are to apply to the Officers commanding the detachments of such Forces as may be Quartered there from time to time for their Assistance as occasion may require as the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury have by their said Letter acquainted Us, that the Governor and other Officers whether Civil or Military will receive Orders to give the Officers of the Revenue all proper Assistance and support.

9th As the great increase of the Inhabitants has been owing to a concurrence and resort of Smuglers, The putting an End Effectually to illicit Trade will undoubtedly occasion as speedy and great decrease in the Number of People on the Isle of Man. You are therefore to get the most accurate information You can of the Numbers of its Inhabitants at different Periods, and to ascertain as far as may be possible the Numbers thereof at Midsummer 1765, distinguishing how many of that Number, were Fishermen or Seafaring Persons, And how many were usually occupied in Husbandry or in Manfactures and Mechanick Trades. Accurate Accounts of the Numbers of Inhabitants at proper Periods of time to come, may tend to illustrate the effect of the said Act : And therefore We recommend this matter to Your Attention.

10th As We have just cause to place entire confidence in your knowledge of the Business committed to your care and in your Circumspection, fidelity, diligence and abilities, You are not to consider Your Authority or Conduct in the discharge of this very important Trust, to be limited to or confined within the preceeding Articles of Instruction, which though pland in such a manner as to convey full and general Powers. We think it proper to add, that if any matter of fact or observation occurs to You, which may not seem to be comprized within any of the preceeding Instructions, You are hereby fully Authorized to act therein, as may to You appear necessary for the furtherance of the Service. And as You have so important a Concern to acquit yourself in, We think it reasonable and best for the Service to refer to You the Choice of such Officers of the Revenue as You think can be best entrusted with the Execution of Our Orders and can be best spared for that purpose, giving Us a list of their Names, and Stations for Our Approbation.

11th You are to cultivate good understanding and maintain a friendly correspondence with any Officers who may be sent over on Account of any other Branches of the Publick Revenue so that the General Measure of putting an effectual end to the illicit practices of those Islanders may be better accomplished.

12th You are to report to Us Your proceedings from time to time & with whatever You shall judge Material for Our Information, So that We may be enabled after the most mature consideration to render as perfect as We can, the plan of an Establishment of Officers to be appointed in the Isle of Man on the part of this Revenue We have in pursuance of the said Letter, already laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for their consideration.

Custom H^o London 15th May 1765

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