considerable portion of the crews of these Revenue craft was composed of men who had spent years of their lives as smugglers themselves.  Consequently it was not altogether surprising that mutinies and refusals to obey their commander’s orders were of frequent occurrence.  After a time it was decided that those members of the crew which had to be dismissed for such offences were to be handed over to the commander of the next man-of-war that should come along, and be pressed into the service of the Navy, though, it may be added, this was not always a welcome gift to the Naval commander compelled to receive a handful of recalcitrant men aboard his ship.  Then, again, when at last a handful of smugglers had been captured it was the duty of the Revenue officers to prosecute them before the magistrate at their own expense.  This was regarded as an unfair hardship, and in 1736 the system was modified by the Treasury allowing an officer a third of whatever amount was recovered, the prosecution to be carried on at the King’s expense.  At the same time it was undeniable that some commanders of these sloops and cutters were not quite as active as they might be on their station.  There was too ready an excuse to run in from the sea and too great an inclination to spend valuable time in port.  They were accordingly now enjoined not to presume to lay up for the purpose of giving the ship’s bottom a scrub, or for a refit, without previously giving the Collector and Comptroller of the port ten days’ notice.  This was not to occur unless the cruiser really needed such attention; but if it was essential then to prevent the station remaining unguarded some other smack or vessel was to be sent out to take her place for the time being.  For the smugglers were kept so well informed of the movements of the Revenue ships that a contraband cargo of goods would soon be found approaching the shore during the night when the watch had been relaxed.

But from an early date—­at any rate as far back as 1694—­the East India ships were notorious also for smuggling into the country a considerable amount of goods that ought to have paid duty.  We shall bring forward instances presently of East Indiamen, homeward bound, being boarded as they come up Channel, or while waiting in the Downs and putting some of their cargo on board smuggling cutters and Deal boats, which was subsequently quietly and secretly brought into the country.  Silks were especially popular among the smugglers in this connection.  In those days, too, the more wealthy passengers coming home by these East Indiamen used to leave the ship at Spithead, where they came in for that purpose.  These passengers would then be put ashore at Portsmouth, and, proceeding by coach to London, thus shortened their sea journey.  But notwithstanding their ample means, many of these travellers were constantly found endeavouring to land dutiable articles.  In short, rich and poor, high and low, there was no class that did not endeavour to engage in smuggling either directly