T 1/543/182 - Governor Smith's comments on Revenue Officers - 1777

Extract of a Letter from Govr Smith to the Earl of Suffolk Isle of Man July 25th 1777

I am to solict your Lordship's Recommendation to the Treasury of a Clerk's being put upon our Establishment (at £25 @ annun) and allowed the Deemster, whose Business by the late Laws really require such Assistance - After this Addition, and the £5 a Year being added by the Treasury to each of the four High Bailiffs (as requested in my last) I confess I think the Civil Establishment, upon due Consideration, as economical as possible, which Your Lordships will perceive by the inclosed Estimate.

The Disgrace and Distress occasioned in the Island, by at least Two Years and Half Arrears being due on the Civil List, is extremely great, and has created Jealousy, Supineness, and universal Discontent.

Allow me also to inclose to Your Lordship the present Establishment of the Customs in the Isle of Man; and also a proposed Establishment for the better raising the Revenue, & a more advantageous Administration of it - however extravagant the collecting of a Revenue of £2100 at an Expence of £1695 must appear, yet, I do not presume to touch upon the Salaries of the higher officers, but I must take the Liberty of saying, that the Revenue of the Isle of Man has never authorised an Increase of Salaries, or of Places, nor can its present Produce admit of constant Absentees and Pensioners. If offices in the Customs can be there executed by Deputies the narrow limited Scale of our Trade, & Income, the Exorbitancy of our Debt, & the Distress of our Civil Establishment claims and calls for every Relief that can be procured though I should, with the Application of such Remedy to operate during only the Continuance of our Disease.

I have proposed the Reduction of the Boatmens Salaries, as they were by Mistake at first so highly rated, and, from very just opinion and ten years Experience, their too easy Support has been found to be the Cause of their Inactivity and shameful Behaviour; besides, very good Men are always to be got at a Shilling a Day, and those who now should be cashiered are such idle, drunken, & worthless Fellows, as are an Injury to the Service & a Disgrace to the Establishment.

In support of my Idea of Creek or Manks Officers, I must beg leave to say that, for ten years past none of the Strangers have ever acquired any knowledge of the Haunts or Practices of the Country Smuglers - The Farmers and industrious Fishermen are professed Enemies to this illicit Trade, as it entices away their young Servants, destroys their Inclosures, and ruins all their Horses - Still these People disdain to turn Informers; but if once vested with a Commission, sure of the Support of Government, and having taken an Oath, they would willingly exert themselves, and by their Intercourse with and Knowledge of the People, they must contribute more to the Suppression of all the present Smugling than the whole preventive Revenue Establishment. It is the best Experiment I can devise, and what People thoroughly versed in former Practices in the Island conceive to be a sure Remedy.

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