and the Sollicitor having reported that the master should
be prosecuted for treble the value of the goods run, upon the
statute 8'*^ Ann : Resolved, that the Sollicitor do proceed
accordingly.'
No. 20. Scottish Board's Minute upon conduct of one Porteous,
a tidewaiter {possibly a relative of the subject of the Porteous
Riots).
' Tuesday, ^o"' April, 1745.
' The Commissioners ha\'ing considered the charge given by
their order to Francis Porteous, Tidewaiter at Leith, founded
upon a complaint signed bj^ Mr. James Patterson, tide-surveyor
at Leith, John* Anderson & Thomas Vernon, Land-carriage
waiters at the Cit}^ gates of Edinb'', then acting as tidewaiters
at Leith, that the said Francis Porteous, being stationed on
the 24'^ instant upon the Janet of Leith, John Watt Master,
loaded with wine, he left his duty and went on shoar with the
Master and several of the Sailors to drink with them, and
returned the worse for Liquor.
' That he Spirited up the Sailors against the said Anderson
& \'ernon, who were joined with him on Duty on board the
said \'essel, and threatened to throw them over Board : And
having likewise considered the said Porteous's answers to the
said Charge, the observations of the Collector and Comptroller
of Leith thereupon, and he having advanced nothing Satis-
factory in his Vindication, and the Collector and Comptroller
having reported that he is a dangerous Officer, and further,
he having been formerly guilty of Sundry Misdemeanours in
the Execution of his Duty, and excused upon promises to be
exact and diligent in doing his duty for the future : Resolved,
that he be dismissed, and his Deputation called in to be
cancelled.'
* Anderson and Vernon had previously complained of one John
Cunningham, that he had repeatedly beaten and assaulted them.
SCOTTISH MEMORANDA 435
No. 21. Various Minutes by the Scottish Board, exemplifying
the effect on Customs business^ etc.^ of the rebellion in 1745.
'Monday, g"' September, 1745.
' Mansfeldt Cardonnel, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Secretary laid before the Board a letter from Mr.
Lowe with the warrant of the Lords of the Treasury for —
' Alexander Shank, Surveyor of the Customs at Kirkaldy.'
(The report breaks off here, and no further record appears
tin November 29, 1745. Gardiner was defeated at Collbrig
on September 16. The Pretender occupied Holyrood on the
i8th, and left early in November. It appears that the
Commissioners of Customs left oft work some time before the
city was captured, -and did not resume till some time after
the Pretender was across the Border and well on his way to
Derby.)
' Friday , 29''' November, 1745.
' Richard Somers, Esq., in the Chair.
' Received several letters and directed answers thereto.
'Monday, 2"'^ December, 1745.
' John Campbell, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Commissioners considered the several letters received
during the Interuption of Business by the Rebels Entering
the Town, and directed answers to such Ports as the Rebels
are not in possession of.
'Tuesday, y' December, 1745.
' John Campbell, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Commissioners received a letter from Mr. Scrope,
with a copy of one from the Duke of Newcastle, signifying his
Majesty's pleasure that Directions should be sent to the officers
of the Customs in the several ports to stop and search all
Soldiers which shall arrive from Holland, whether they have
passes or discharges from the respective regiments in the
service of the States-General, to which they may have
belonged, or not, and to detain them in safe custody till
further orders, there being reason to apprehend that many
of them have deserted with a design to pass into this kingdom
in order to join the Rebels.
436 APPENDIX
' Thursday, ig"' December, 1745.
' Richard Somers, Esq., in the Chair.
' Received the estabhshments for the officers employed in
the Customs and Salt Duty for Michaelmas quarter, 1745,
warranted by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.
' The Rebels having retreated back into Scotland, and being
within a few days' march of this Town, and Business thereby
interrupted ; The books and papers belonging to the Custom
House, formerly lodged in the Castle, and brought down
from thence after the Rebels evacuated this town, are again
to be carried up for Security.'
(No further entry appears till February 12, 1745-46.)
' Lord Rosse in the Chair ' (none else present except Somers).
' Ordered that the several officers have notice to bring from
the Castle the Books and Papers belonging to their respective
offices, deposited there for Security during the Rebellion.
' That a Circular letter be sent to the several ports, requiring
the principal officers to enquire in the most expeditious,
particular, full, and impartial manner, into the Conduct and
Behaviour ot the Inferiour Officers, during the Unnatural
and Horrid Rebellion, and to report the same to the Board
without delay.'
(Work went on as usual. The Battle of Culloden was
fought on April 16.)
' Wednesday, g"' April, 1746.
'Alexander Arbuthnot, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Supervisor of the Salt Duty at Prestonpans having
transmitted to the Board an account of the Officers and
Watchmen in that collection who continued to act under
the Rebels, the same was returned for the Collector and
Supervisor to give the matter in Charge to the respective
Officers, and to send it back with the Officers' answers, and
their observations, for the Consideration of the Board.
' Tuesday, 6"' May, 1746.
' John Campbell, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Lord Justice Clerk having transmitted to the Board
a Memorial and paper, a part containing sundry regulations
and directions for discovering such persons as have been
AGAINST THE JACOBITES 437
concerned in the Rebellion, and desired them to give direc-
tions accordingly to all the officers under their management :
Resolved : That a copy of the said Memorial and separate
Paper be sent to all the ports.
' Thursday, 1$"' May, 1746.
'Alexander Arbuthnot, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Commissioners having received sundry affidavits
against James Rannie, King's Couper at Leith, that he was
aiding and assisting to the Rebels, particularly by Pressing
Persons, by virtue of an order from the Young Pretender's
Secretary, to drive their Baggage, and it further appearing
that he has not produced a certificate of his qualifying to the
Government according to law, though frequently required
so to do, and he having been formerly suspended for neglect
of duty : Resolved, that the said James Rannie, for the
above reasons, be dismissed till he clears himself before proper
judges, to the satisfaction of the Board, &c.'
(On June 18, 1746, the Board resolved that proceedings
should be taken against certain persons who acted as sellers
of the goods in the King's Warehouse, and others who received
money for the said sales and handed it over to the rebels.
On July 10 they dismissed thirteen officers at Prestonpans
for having acted under the rebels. Many other officers were
charged.)
' Monday, 28"' July, 1 746.
' MansfeMt Cardonnel, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Lord Justice Clerk having by a letter of this date
signified to the Board that he has received intelligence that
the Pretender's Son has left the Highlands and is come
towards the Coast in order to make his escape, and desired
the Board to give orders to the officers at all the ports, except
those north of Dundee, to lay an embargo on all shipping,
&c. &c.'
(On August II the Board allowed James Robertson
£2 los. ' for entering in a Book lists of Persons concerned in
the Rebellion.')
438 APPENDIX
'Monday, 4"' August, 1746.
' Richard Somers, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Lord Justice Clerk having signified to the Board tliat
the Information that the Pretender's Son had left the High-
lands and was come towards the Coast to make his Escape
b}' Shipping proves uncertain, and desired that the Embargo
laid in consequence of the said Information may be taken
off : Resolved, that directions be immediately sent to the
several Ports accordingly.
' Wednesday, 8"' October, 1746.
' John Campbell, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Right Honorable the Earle of Albemarle Commander
in Chief of his Majesty's Forces in Scotland having signified
that he has received Information that many of the Rebels
of the first Rank are still lurking upon the East Coast of
Scotland waiting the opportunity of Escaping in some Vessel
from the Ports on the said Coast, and desired the Board to
give directions to the several officers of the Customs stationed
at those ports in the strictest manner to search all Outward
Bound vessels of whatever Size, least any Rebels should be
concealed on them, and also to make Inquiry where such
Rebels may be lurking in order to their being apprehended, &c.
' Thursday , 18"' December, 1746.
' Lord Rosse in the Chair.
' Considered the Petition of Mr. James Patersone, Tide
Surveyor at Leith, setting forth his Services during the late
Rebellion, and Copys of the certificates annexed of the
Generals, Sir John Cope, Handasyde, and Guest, Admiral
Byng, and his Majesty's late Advocate and Sollicitor General,
of those Services to the Government. The Board are of opinion
it is not in their Power to Reward him out of the Revenue
but resolve to Present Mr. Patersone to the Lords of the
Treasury for the first suitable Vacancy.
' Thursday, 29'''' January, 1746-7.
' Richard Somers, Esq., in the Chair.
' The Collector and Comptroller of Borrowstoness having
in their letter of the 2y^ instant given the Board an Account
of some Rebels being apprehended on board a Ship bound
for Holland, the same was laid before the Justice Clerk the
25''' instant.'
I Do fwear, That die Entry above written, now tendered and fu'ofcri'ocd hy ni;, Is
ajuit Report of theNanie of my Sl:ip, its Biirilcn, Biiilr, rropcrty, Nuiiibcrand
Country of Mariacrj, the prcfcnc Mail:cr and Voyai.',e; And t'lat it d^nk further
contain a true Account of my Ladiiifi, witli il-.cpaniciilar Tvlarks, Numbers, Quaii-
tiiy,QiiaIity and Confignmcnt, of all the Goods and Mcrchandifcs in myfaid Ship,
to the beft of my Kno\Ylcd;»c; a;:d that ! have not bro!;c Bulk, or dclivcicd any
Goods out of my faid Shipjiiicc her load;;)^ in
t"- \/,tJ Mji/jf /./ut> 'I'
So help inc C OD.
Swnrn h-fore Us.
the r/l^/y//
Day ofif"'f';^^V''P
^/'^^/^/^^ConiFnolkr.
Facsimile ok Report ok the ' John,' ok Dumkries. Joii.x I'aul
('Paul Jones'). Ma.-,ter (1769).
To /ace p. ijg.
PAUL JONES 439
' jth April, 1909.
' The signatures which appear on the reports of the John,
of Dumfries, are those of a person much celebrated in naval
history. John Paul was born at Kirkbean in 1747. His
father, John Paul, had three other sons, one of whom, William
Paul, was adopted by an elderly Scotsman named Jones,
who had settled in Virginia. John Paul, senior, died in 1767,
and was buried in Kirkbean churchyard, his son John erecting
a tombstone to his memor3^
' John Paul, junior, went to sea at an early age, and even-
tually became captain of the John, of Dumfries (by Buell
erroneously called the John of Kirkcudbright). This vessel
belonged to Currie, Beck, and Co., a Scottish firm of ship-
owners located at WTiitehaven. (Buell gives the title of the
firm as " Donald Currie, Beck, and Co.," and makes reference
to a ^'essel named the Grantully Castle, of which John Paul
eventually became master. It must not, however, be thought
that this was the source of the firm of to-day that bears the
name of " Donald Currie," and has recently had a ship called
the Grantully Castle. Inquiries have elicited that the firm
of Donald Currie and Co. is quite modern.)
' On one of the voyages indicated in the accompan^dng
reports, John Paul had occasion to strike a mutinous sailor.
On arrival at the Plantations the man died, and John Paul
was tried at Tortola for the offence and acquitted. On his
arrival at Whitehaven he was again put upon trial and
acquitted. One of the reports (1769) bears endorsement to
the effect that the John v.-ent on to \\1iitehaven to complete
discharge. (Buell states that she was at Whitehaven in 1770 ;
and the reports show that after the 1770 trip John Paul was nc
longer master. Therefore, it may have been that the vessel,
in 1770, after discharging her cargo at Kirkcudbright, went
to XMiitehaven to load or to complete loading.)
' The accounts of John Paul's career in 1771 differ. Buell
states that he became captain of the Grantully Castle, trading
to Lisbon, ^Madeira, East Indies, and the Plantations, but in
the " National Dictionary of Biography " it is stated that he
spent a considerable period of that time in smuggling between
the Isle of !\Ian and the Solway Firth. It appears he was in
Virginia in 1773. and found that his brother William had but
a few hours to live. William had succeeded to the estate left
by Jones, and in the will was a provision' that John should
succeed to the estate at William's death, on condition that he
440 APPENDIX
assumed the name of Jones. Thus he became a Virginian
planter, and thenceforth signed himself " Paul Jones."
' When the War of Independence broke out, " Paul Jones "
joined the American Navj-, and eventually became captain
of the Ranger. His exploits as a naval commander are well
known and quite extraordinary. There can be no doubt that
he possessed talent, courage, and sincerity in their highest
and most original forms, but he is stated to have been ex-
ceedingly hast}' and irritable, and much disposed to quarrel.
WTien he left the American Navy he secured a command in
the Russian, which he had to resign, e\'idently through the
jealousy and undermining tactics of other Russian com-
manders.
' He had, for some reason or other, a deadly hatred of the
British, whom he repeatedly stigmatizes in his letters as
an arrogant and faithless race ; and it is noticeable that most
of his depredations were committed near the scenes of his
boyhood. But he was ardently attached to the French,
and they repaid his attachment by man}' favours and much
" lionizing." He died in Paris, of dropsy of the heart, in 1792,
and was buried in Pere la Chaise, " in a shroud, without
uniform or trappings of an}' kind." Principally through the
instrumentality of President Roosevelt, his remains were
removed to America in 1905, and interred in the crypt of the
chapel of the Naval Academy at Annapolis.
' He is described as about 5 feet 7 inches in height, exceed-
ingly swarthy, but with handsome features, and remarkably
well built.'
(The above has been extracted from the Customs Library
Memoranda.)
No. 22. Extracts from ' The Annual Register' (1782
to 1802).
'Feb. \s"', 1782.
' Yesterday was tried, before the Earl of Mansfield in the
Court of King's Bench at Guildhall, a cause of general concern.
A merchant of Flushing brought an action against a merchant
of this city for the recovery of the amount of three bills of
exchange given by the defendant for tea sold to the plaintiff,
and delivered at Ostend to the defendant's order : the defence
was that the tea never came to the defendant's hand, but
JOURNALISTIC ITEMS 441
was seized as run goods, therefore the plaintiff was liable to
the loss : the defendant went upon two other points of law%
namely, that the plaintiff could not apply for justice, as the
act of selling the tea was a fraud upon the revenue : also that
if the tea had actually been delivered the plaintiff was not
entitled to recover. The noble judge in his charge to the
jur\' remarked that Flushing and Ostend were the most
famous ports for smuggling. If the jury considered the tea
to be sold for the purpose of being smuggled to England they
would find for the defendant. He observed that the East
India ships were the only bottoms of conveyance of tea to
England* : besides it was proved that the plaintiff kept boats
and horses to convey tea to the coast of England. The jury
found for the defendant, and thereby made the notes void.
' Jany. lo"', 1785.
' The following facts relative to the seizing and burning of
the smugglers' boats may be depended on : advice was sent
to Mr. Pitt that the severity of the season had occasioned the
smugglers to lay up their craft, and a fine opportunity offered
for the destroying them if sufficient force could be procured
to intimidate the smugglers from attempting a rescue.
Mr. Pitt sent to the War Office, and required a regiment of
soldiers to be at Deal on a certain day. He was told it could
not be complied with. His answer was it must, and a regi-
ment was immediately marched. But the commanding
officer found on his arrival that the people of the town, having
some intimation of the business, had advised the publicans
to pull down their signs, in order that the soldiers might have
no quarters. They took the advice, and no quarters were
to be had. A large barn at a small distance presented itself
as an eligible place, and the quartermaster rode off to the
landlord, who refused to let it on any other terms than for
two years certain. The officer took it. marched the men in,
and then with very much difficulty procured them some
provisions. The next day Lieut. Bray received orders to
prepare some cutters to hover off the beach, and the soldiers
were all drawn out. The inhabitants, not imagining what
was going to be done, thought the cutters were to embark
* The East India Company, and persons licensed by them, were the
only parties allowed by law to land tea. It is evident from the context
that the plaintiff was an Englishman hving at Ostend, who undertook
to illegally land tea, and to convey it to the warehouses of London
merchants.
442 APPENDIX
the soldiers in. but to their surprise orders were given to the
men to burn the boats, and, the force being so great, the
inhabitants were obhged to remain silent spectators, and
dared not attempt a rescue.
'Sept. 4'^', 17S7.
'Leeds. — The captain of the Swedish ship seized at Hull a
few daj^s ago for having a quantity of wool on board* has
now made an open confession, and impeached several people
in that neighbourhood, who it seems have carried on a large
trade in this iniquitous practice for some time past. The
mate of the ship has declared upon oath that he believes every
Swede or Danish vessel that comes into the port of Hull
smuggles wool abroad every voyage, both captain and crew
being concerned in this business, and although the quantity
in each ship is but trifling yet when it comes to be considered
that there are twenty or thirty ships of those two nations
which make three or four voyages to Hull annually, the wool
smuggled even from the above port becomes considerable.
Two other ships were also seized on Saturday last at Hiill,
with wool.'
(Most of the ' owling ' was done with the produce of
Lincolnshire, Kent, and Sussex.)
'June, 1788.
' Mr. Tankard, a king's officer at Dartford, in consequence of
an information, stopped the mail coach from Dover, and
demanded from the guard the key of the trunk on which he
sat. Being refused, he broke the trunk open, and two letter
bags, with the brass labels ' Dover bags.' were found filled
with lace. The coach and horses were seized.
' Now. 2g''', 1802.
' It may be recollected that about four years ago Johnson,
the notorious smuggler, and another, were apprehended for
obstructing and ill-using some revenue ofhcers on the Sussex
coast, and were committed to the New Gaol in the Borough
to take their trial, but effected their escape in the most daring
way, and remained at large notwithstanding ^^500 reward
was offered for their apprehension. The first time Johnson
* For exportation (prohibited). It is apparent that English wool
commanded a much higher price abroad tiian in England (see pp.
380, 387, 388).
JOURNALISTIC ITEMS 443
was heard of after his escape was at the time the expedition
to the Helder was meditated by Government, when he made
an offer of his services to accompany the expedition, as from
his smuggling connexions he had gained a complete knowledge
of the Dutch coast : Government accepted of his services, and
granted him a full pardon on his promise never to be again
concerned in the smuggling trade. Johnson acquitted him-
self in this undertaking so much that he became a great
favourite with several of the ex-ministers, and with the late
Sir Ralph Abercrombie in particular. He afterwards con-
tracted debts to the amount of ;^i 1,000, was arrested, and
lodged in the Fleet prison nearly six months ago, where he
remained. It appears before he became an inhabitant of the
Fleet that in his pecuniary difficulties he again had recourse
to smuggling, and he was capitally indicted on very strong
grounds. Johnson, aware of these circumstances, turned his
thoughts once more to making his escape, which he effected,
notwithstanding he was confined in a strong room with two
doors, or rather a double door, such as are generally fixed to
the chambers in Inns of Court. At the top of each door was
a panel instead of glass. It was by forcing out these two
panels and creeping through the holes of them that Johnson
was enabled to reach the gallery, and from thence the high
wall that surrounds the prison, which it was impossible for him
to have done v/ithout accomplices, as the panel of the outer
door, it appears, had been forced from without. On his
coming to that part of the wall next to Fleet Street, he found
a rope ladder, which his friends on the outside had provided
for him, and placed there agreeable to their plan. In the
evening he arrived in a chaise and four on the coast of
Brighton, where a lugger was in waiting for him in which he
embarked, and arrived at Calais on his way to Flushing, after
landing at Dieppe. He had a severe wound in the thigh,
which he related to have received in the following manner :
He had got on the top of the last wall that separated him
from the street, 70 feet from the ground : a lamp was placed
in the wall at some distance beneath the place where he was.
He let himself down the wall exactly over the iron bar, and
when he was forced to give up his hold he stretched his legs
so as to fall astride. He had taken every precaution, and fell
across the bar without overturning or hurting himself, but
as he could not guard against an additional piece of iron it
caught his thigh above the knee, and ripped it up almost to
444
APPENDIX
the top. At this moment he heard the watchman crying the
hour, and had so much fortitude as to remain astride in that
situation, bleeding most abundantly, till the watchman had
gone his round without perceiving him. Immediately after
he had the resolution to let himself down at all hazards.'
No. 23
. Statement oj Net Produce of Plantation
Customs in 1784.
(New Brunswick, Port Roseway in Nova Scotia, and Cape
Breton, had only been provided with Customs establishments
during the current year. Therefore their accounts do not
appear in the statement. Return from Tortola also not
forthcoming.)
Net after
Colony.
charges of
management
paid.
Deficit
Remarks.
£ s. d.
i s.
d.
Jamaica . .
504 18
6
Barbados
553 II 4
Antigua . .
145 6 iij
St. Kitts
387 8 2
Montserrat
81 17 3
Nevis
33 6 8
Newfoundland .
354 4
8i
Grenada . .
208 9
7i
St. Vincent's
86 9
6f
Dominica
56 I
If
Bahamas
81 16 6
' Bermuda
272 II if
Nova Scotia
36 iS II
St. John's Islands
67 8
II
' Quebec . .
310 16
9i
1,588 9
3i
j
4 7
H
Balance accru-
ing to the im-
perial revenue
1,592 16 Hi
1,592 16
Hi
(The above statement signed by ' J. MiUs, for the Receiver-
General : Joshua Powell, for the Controller-General : and
J. Dalley, Supervisor of Payments.')
COLONIAL AND COAL DUES 445
No. 24. Extracts jrom statement of the charges upon coal bought
coastwise to the port of London during the latter part of
the eighteenth century.
' This examinant saith : That he is one of the two clerks to
the 15 sea-coal meters for the City of London, and has been
so for 24 years ; he and the other clerk are appointed by them,
and do all the official business except that all the warrants
and duplicates are signed l^y one coal meter, and they hold a
Board once every month, January excepted. He under-
stands the appointment of the sea-coal meters is vested in
the Corporation of the City of London, and the office, when
vacant, is sold for the term of 21 years, by public auction,