T 1/445/379 - Number of Vessels trading to & from Isle of Man

Sir

In obedience to the Direction of the Right Honble the Lords Commissrs of His Majesty's Treasury signified in your Letter of the 15th ulto to Report whether the Number and Tonnage of Vessels trading to and from the Isle of Man are increased or diminished since the Purchase thereof by the Crown.

I beg leave to observe that it will be necessary in order to state this matter clearly to their Lordships, to distinguish betwixt the Trade from this Island to foreign parts, and that to Great Britain & Ireland. With respect to the former antecedant to the late purchase, all Teas and other East Indian Commodities were imported solely in foreign bottoms. Other Goods vi Spirits, Silks, Wine, Tobacco &c in Vessels belonging to Great Britain, or this Island, of which last viz (those of this Island) there were thirteen from One hundred to Two hundred Tons burthen each employed in Trading to Spain, the Mediterranean & during the late War, to Monte Christi; of these, three only remain, one laid up in this Harbour: the other Two supposed to be employed in the illicit Trade now carried on betwixt France and Ireland.

With regard to the Trade from this Island to great Britain and Ireland, there were about Thirty Vessels from Ten to Forty Tons burthen each constantly employed in bringing to the Island Coals, Provisions and Several sorts of British Manufactures for the Consumption of the Inhabitants and scarce ever in Running Prohibited Goods at least in considerable Quantities, of these only seven remaining.

The illicit Trade was carried on either by Irish Wherries, from Twenty five to Seventy Tons burthen each, or by Boats of this Island from Eight to Twenty Tons burthen each, of a particular Construction for the purpose of Smuggling.

The Irish Wherries were about Sixty in Number which are since increased and now employed in Smuggling from France and Guernsey as formerly from the Isle of Man. The Manks Boats were about fifty, of which there remains only One the Property of one Cesar Parr a Smuggler in Peel, the rest being Seized or destroyed.

Thus the present state of the Number and Tonnage of Vessels belonging to this Island compared with that Antecedant to the Purchase by the Crown will stand as in the Inclosed Account.

I am &c Chas Lutwidge

Douglas 1 Sept 1766

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