T 1/437/387 - Account of Smugglers & their Methods

On Saturday last a Gentleman like Person, arrived from Isle of Man, and came up stairs for a Sufferance for his Baggage, he told me was obliged to leave the Island on acccount of a Letter, he lately sent to the Honourable Mr Ponsonby, Custom House Dublin, with a State of the Trade from thence to Ireland, which was intercepted and returned to the Merchants in Douglas, who resolved thereupon to have him taken up, but getting private Notice, he went on board Captain Matthew's Cutter, till he got his Passage hither; I desired he would oblige me in writing, with his Observations on the Smuglers present Method of carrying on Business there; which he having done, and tho he is a Stranger to me, yet believing these are some Matters of fact therein. I humbly take leave to inclose a Copy thereof
I am &c Joseph Burrow
Custom Ho Whitehaven 26 March 1765

Account

The manner and Method made Use of in the Isle of Man, by the Merchants, in order to Defeat the Vigilance and Activity of the Kings Ships of War, and Cutters Stationed to prevent them Smuggling, Tea being one of the Chiefest Articles; I will give You the full Account, by what means it was brought into the Island, and at what time, and place it was Landed at, and to what Merchant it belonged to.

After his Majesty's Proclamation in August last, the Merchants was at a loss what Method to get in their Tea, which they at that time, had contracted for in Holland, or Denmark, they countermanded all Orders for Tea, and not to send any more, till such time they did receive further Instructions, by this Means Tea became scarce; but on the 4th day of November a Dutch Ship came into Derby Haven with Forty Six Chests on board, a large Quantity of Geneva, with Coffee, and other Prohibited Goods on board, this Cargo belonged to Mr Conner, Captain Oats, and Captain Gorden, all of Douglas, this Vessel came unexpected.

The Merchants after some debate with themselves, came to the following Resolution, that was to send a proper Person (and a Good Pilot for the Coast of the Isle of Man) to Holland, by way of London, then to Harwich, then take a passage in the Packet Boat, and go to where the Tea Ship lay, which they always got Instructions by their Agent in London, for that purpose.

One John McQuire was the first that was appointed for that Service, and safely arrived in Port Le Morrey, on the 4th day of January, with a large Cargo of Tea on board, having no less than three hundred and Six Chests, with a great Quantity of Silk, and other Goods, to the Value of Fifteen Thousand Pounds,

One Carter was the next that was fixt on of Derby Haven, which likewise arrived safe on the 7th day of February, at the above Port, his passage being Exceding good, a Sloop came with him the same time, which likewise came in at the same tide.

The Cargo chiefly of the first, that landed at Port Le Morrey belonged to Mr Tubbman of Castle Town, the two last which landed at Derby Haven, chiefly belonged to Messrs Black Ross, and Christian of Douglas, and Kenady, of Castle Town ; There was a Vessel discharged at Piel, a Cargo of about Sixty two Chests, about the Middle of February belonging to Mr Moore of Piel ; there is likwise a large Wherry, fitted out for this Imployment belonging to one Christopher Kiern; she has discharged two Cargoes, in Port Iron, and is now gone for the third ; These Tea Vessels always take out different Cockets, as for Liverpoole, Lancaster, Whitehavn, or Glasscon, likewise Dublin, Belfast, Newry, or any other Port in the North of Ireland, loaded with Iron and Lumber, which they always have some on board, the Iron serves for Ballast and the Boards for a platform; This Method they make use of providing they fall in with the Land, either on the West, or East side, and at the same time meets a Cutter, they have a Cockquet to produce accordingly.

These Tea Ships always bring Geneva, Coffee, and Brandy, with them, the Rum chiefly comes from Santa Cruz, and other Danish, or Dutch Settlements, in the West Indies, this Liquor is of a bad kind both in smell, and Taste, as well as Colour, they always draw it off into half Anchors, or Anchors, but mostly the former, they put into each Cask a small Quantity of Logwood, which gives it a good Colour in a short time.

The Ships that is Imployed from the different ports in the Isle of Man, in this Trade is no less than Thirty, of different Burthen, from Ships of Three hundred Tons, from Sloops of Seventy, to the great loss and disappointment of Our own Planters, the loss of the Revenue besides the daage to the Merchants and the ruin of a great maany honest Tradesmen as all, or the greatest part of this Centre in the three Kingdoms, the Silks and Brandy, they chiefly get from France or Spain, likewise Sope, Wine, and a great many other Prohibited Goods, to the great Hurt of Great Britain in General - It likewise drains England of a great deal of Cash.

The Method they make use of in exporting the above Goods is as follows-
The Smugling into Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is chiefly confined to Irish Wherries, called Buckers mann'd by Ten or Twelve Resolute Irish Men, merely Savages, mostly from Rush, they have never yet been under any kind of Government, and is capable of undertaking any thing that is bad, these Wherries are prime Sailors, they mostly at this time take in their Loading at Port Le Morrey or Port Iron, their Tea which is sent from Douglas, it goes across the Country on Horses to these Ports, since the Cutters has been stationed in the principal Harbours, about the Island, after the Wherry takes in their Loading, they proceed according to the Merchants directions, they chiefly take the advantage of a Dark Night and stout Gale of Wind, Supplies themselves with a dark Lanthorn And a compass, they are not easy perceived at Sea. If a Barge or a Cutter come into any port of Ireland where a Wherry is expected, they make a fire on Shore as a Signal to come in, this Fire is always made on a Hill near the place, if the Weather is anyways Moderate, they run into some other place even at Low Water, Unloads the Cargo and buries it in the sand. The Tea they put into dry Casks, which they are never unprovided with. The Tea they mostly have in Leather Baggs, and in pounds or half pounds, they always provide themselves with Spades for the above purposes, the same ways they make Use of in Scotland as well as Wales.

The Smuglers on the Coast of England is chiefly confined to Manx Boats, which know the Coast exceeding well and hired by the Smuglers in England; at about Six or Seven Pounds for a Cargo; If the Owner of the Goods is in the Boat, they go according to his directions, he having provided places of concealment near to which please [?place] the Goods is landed at, if they meet with any disappointment, they likewise bury the Goods in the Sand, and returns back if the Owner of the Goods is not there, but sent by an Order from some Merchant; they in the Boat goes according to the Merchants Orders, and if they find no One on, or near the place appointed, they likewise Bury the Goods, and removes to another place, till such time the Owner is acquainted where the Goods is, for they never take upon themselves to land the Goods except the Owner is there. Therefore if an Officer Sees a Manx Boat, he may take it for granted that the Goods is not landed, only Buried, therefore the Boats Crew should be Narrowly Watched, for at Low Water, the Night following they are certainly take out the Goods and returns.

I am fully persuaded that no Ship or Vessel, that either comes from Ireland, or stops at any of the Ports, but what takes in both Tea, and Liquor, and Handkerchiefs. and conceals them in different parts of the Ship or Vessel, but chiefly in the Ballast, where they provide a proper place to Stow a good Quantity in; I have known them fold Tea in the Sails, Topsails, or any other of the Maintopsails ; I have likewise known them to provide themselves with Bladders and bring Liquor in them into the Harbour ; Therefore when an Officer goes on board any Ship or Vessel. I think it would be proper to examine all Ropes, that Hangs in the Water, they take likewise the Advantage of a long Night, and as there is at this time great Quantity of all sorts of Liquors, they will be getting it of, as fast as Possible for they expect to have a Duty laid on it in a Short time. I shall be glad to answer You any Question You are please to ask me.

Whitehaven
25th March 1765

Notes

The "Gentleman like Person" was John Dexter who left his heavily pregnant wife on Island and later petitioned the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for a job.