Cornwall Smugglers
 Excise / Revenue Men and Coast Guard
From the 17th & 18th Centuries

The West Briton Archive

THREAT TO A CUSTOMS-MAN 25 December 1812

Custom-House, London, December 1812. Whereas it has been represen­ted to the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs, that a threatening letter was on the 28th inst, received by Joseph Platt, an officer of the Customs, at the port of Falmouth, of which the following is a copy:— “Pray to God to forgive you, Joseph Platt, your doom is fixed as Perceval [the recently assassinated Prime Minister], received his death by a ball, so you shall fall. Your late proceedings with the packets, has driven me to despair, & ere I leave this earth, my determination is fixed to put an end to your wicked and cruel existence, unless you discontinue your commit­ting such robberies as you and your crew has perpetrated for some time past. I give you, J. Platt, to consider of this as above until 30th March 1813, my dear. friend although my cruel enemy, and my mien, for the sake of your soul, pray to Jesus to forgive you, I say again your fate is fixed. A friend to the community, Falmouth 28th Nov. 1812.”

The said commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs, in order to bring to justice the person who wrote or sent the said letter, are hereby pleased to offer a reward of fifty pounds to any person or persons who shall discover and apprehend or cause to be discovered and apprehended the person or persons who wrote the said letter. . .          

THE MAYOR OF ST. MAWES 23rd April 1813.

Sir, I hope you will allow me, through the medium of your paper, to call the attention of the public to the very great hardship and oppression which the tradesmen of Falmouth endure, in consequence of a new mode of procedure adapted by the officers of the Customs at that  [They] layholdon various articles of British manufacture, not otherwise liable to be detained because they are suspicious that there is cause to suspect that they are destined for the packet trade.. . Mr. Williamson had a parcel of goods of British manufacture on board his own boat; the worshipful Mr. Jago, Mayor of the respectable borough of St. Mawes, and an officer of his Majesty’s Customs, took it into his head, that it would be for the benefit of the revenue or of some body connected with it, to seize the boat and what it contained; so he followed Mr. Williamson, who had landed at Trefusis Point, and put the broad arrow upon the boat and its contents. Seeing that Mr. Williamson, who had left the boat, and was proceeding from the beach, had a box under his arm, one of his worship’s men followed him, and seizing upon him with the grasp of a highwayman, he cried in the tone of one of that fraternity; “d - - n you deliver what you have.” This exclamation was followed by a struggle, in which Mr. Williamson was I compelled by force to resign to the mayor of St. Mawes, a very valuable box of British jewelry. But the most extraordinary part of the business is, that this box never reached the Custom-house; mind, Sir, I can’t say how this has happened; his worship may have lost or mislaid it; I dare say it will be found yet. . . Yours etc. Job. Thornberry. “. [The mayor and his co-officers, having been indicted for assault settled the matter out of court by the payment of compensation.

CADGWITH SMUGGLERS PRESS-GANGED 26 July 1816

The Hind revenue cutter sent into Falmouth on Tuesday last a boat belonging to Cadgwith, having on board 50 ankers of spirits. Four men, who were on board the smuggler, have been taken to Plymouth for the purpose of being put on board the fleet about to sail under Lord Exmouth, against the Algerines.  

[This fleet, of 25 ships, sailed from Plymouth with the purpose of bomb’ barbing Algiers in an endeavour to put an end to the depredations of Barbary pirates and the seizure of men from British ships for slavery. Fortunately for the four smugglers, the expedition was a total success, and it is probable that eventually they returned to England.]

FRENCH SMUGGLERS IN LOOE . 23 August 1816.

  On Thursday last a small French vessel was observed to be nearly on shore, not far from Looe harbour; happily by the exertions of persons belonging to the port, she was got in safely.. . The vessel is chiefly laden with fruit, and having entered it at the Custom-house at Looe, a great part of the cargo was speedily disposed of. The custom-house officers took particular notice of twelve elegantly formed toys, in the shape of horses, the bodies of which were about four inches in diameter; and on handling them, they were led to suppose that they were more valuable than they appeared to be. Accordingly, one of them was emboweled, which led to a similar examination of the rest. The result was, the finding of 51 pair of silk stockings and 9 silk shawls which had been carefully secreted in the bodies of these elegant play-things. The King’s broad arrow has been placed on the vessel and cargo, in consequence of this unlucky discovery

ASSAULT ON THE ST. IVES CUSTOMS MEN 5 January 1816

Custom-house, London, 4th December 1815. Whereas it has been represented to the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs, that in the night of the 23rd day of November last, Richard Hosking, sitter of the preventive boat in the service of the Customs, stationed at the port of St. Ives, in the county of Cornwall, seized on shore within the said port, between two hundred and three hundred casks of smuggled spirits; after which, the said Richard Hosking and his assistants were violently assaulted, and obstructed by a great number of smugglers unknown, who rescued and carried away the said goods.

The Commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs, in order to bring the offenders to justice, are hereby pleased to offer a reward of £200 to any person or persons who shall discover and apprehend, or cause to be discovered and apprehended, any one or more of the said offenders, to be paid by the Collector of Customs at the port of St. Ives, upon conviction.

THE PREVENTIVE MEN OF MEVAGISSEY 25 May 1821

  During a very heavy gale on Tuesday afternoon, 15 or 16 large fish of the species called grampus were driven on shore at Mevagissey. Several of them measured from 15 to 20 feet in length. A vast number of them appeared in the bay, and being observed by the persons engaged in the preventive service, were mistaken for a raft of kegs of smuggled spirits which the gale had torn from their moorings, at the bottom, and which were floating and driving about on the surface. Under this idea and in the hope of obtaining a rich prize, the boats were manned and put out, regardless of the tremendous seas then going. Having ascertained their mistake, they were on their return, when one of the boats unfortunately upset; and of seven men who were aboard, three, named Johnson, Clarke and Partridge, were unfortunately drowned; the others were picked up by the boats in company.

HORSES LADEN WITH SMALL CASKS  . 2 July 1824

In the night of Saturday the 29th ultimo, James Sturgess, Chief Officer, James Farrow and George Kingston, boatmen all belonging to the pre­ventive boat in the service of the Customs, stationed at Polperro, in the county of Cornwall, were out on duty for the prevention of smuggling and saw near Trelawney Gate, in the parish of Pelynt, in the said county, five or six horses laden with small casks, and guarded by several smugglers, upon which the said boatmen immediately made towards them, and upon one of them coming up to them, he was struck a violent blow on the head with a stick, by one of the said party of smugglers, but succeeded in seizing and securing from them two casks of foreign rum spirits; that the said smugglers threatened further violence, but on the other two boatmen coming up, they galloped off and made their escape

INFERIOR BRITISH BRANDY. 10 October 1828

  Last week, a man named John Curgenven met with some officers of the Customs at Truro, and offered to sell them smuggled tobacco and French brandy, part of a cargo which he said he had landed. He produced three quarts in two jars and a bladder, as samples, for which he asked 245. per gallon, and said he could supply them with any quantity. Upon this they took him into custody, and on searching his person, found upon him a small measure and a funnel; he was kept in charge until the following morning, and taken before the Collector, who examined him and also the spirits seized, and found that the French brandy, for which he had asked 24s. per gallon, was British brandy of a very inferior quality, which he had purchased at one of the taps in Truro, the same day, at 35. 3d. per quart; in this manner the lovers of that precious article are nine times out of ten duped. 

[Curgenven was incautious in approaching strangers thus, although virtually everyone in Cornwall, directly or indirectly, was associated with smuggling, and approved of it. In fact, while it was illegal to land contraband, to sell smuggled goods was not.]

SEIZED OFF CAWSAND  10th July 1829

  On Saturday evening last, about eight o’clock, Mr. Foot, of the preventive waterguard, at Cawsand, captured a sprit sail boat, called the Five Sisters, belonging to Cawsand, with 98 tubs of foreign brandy and geneva on board, together with three men and a boy. The boat was first discovered by one of the preventive men on the look out from the bill, and conceiving her to be suspicious, he informed Mr. F. of the circumstance, when the latter accompanied by four men well armed took one of the pilot boats from the bay, and proceeded towards the boat in the offing. The smugglers did not suspect the persons in the pilot boat of any design on them until they were close to them; but on perceiving who the intended visitants were, they immediately crowded all sail, to effect their escape. This they were likely to effect when the preventive men showed their colours and com­menced firing musketry at the smugglers. The seventh shot fired cut away the sprit-sail halliards, when the main-sail fell, and the pursuers came alongside and secured the boat with its cargo and crew

CONTRABAND IN A ST. JUST MINE. 19 February 1830

  The men on the preventive service at St. Just, near the Land’s End, aided by a party from the Dove revenue cutter, last week seized 173 tubs if spirits and 20 tubs of tobacco, which had been landed from a cutter, and hidden in a shaft of a mine at that place. During the search, one of the preventive men named White, fell from a plank into a shaft of the mine and was killed on the spot. The deceased was a native of St. Just, and led the party to the place where the seizure was effected.

SMUGGLING NEAR PORTREATH  2 April 1830

On Monday morning, 48 tubs of brandy and 16 tubs of gin, were lodged in the St. Ives custom-house stores, by the coast guard stationed at Portreath. The spirits were captured the preceding night together with a boat... It appears the boat came from a small sloop rigged vessel which was seen on Sunday hovering off the coast, and the persons on board were in the act of landing the cargo within Hell Bay, about 3 miles west of Portreath, and which is bounded by terrific cliffs, termed Hell’s Mouth. Mr. Mortly, the officer of the Portreath preventive guard, with three of his men descended these cliffs at the imminent hazard of their lives, as a single false step would have precipitated them down the precipice, which is about 50 fathoms in height, and at the foot of it they came upon the smugglers, when the boat, her cargo and two of the crew were secured. It appears the smugglers had resolved on making a desperate resistance, as two of the preventive guard who had been at Hayle, and were proceeding to join Mr. Mortly and his party, were encountered near the summit of the cliffs by eight smugglers, who were armed. Shots were exchanged and the preventive men were overpowered, one of them named Rice, having received a ball in the thigh. Rice lies ill at Gwithian, to which place he was carried, and is under the care of Mr. Angove, surgeon, of Hayle, by whom the ball has been extracted. 

A FIGHT WITH SMUGGLERS . 3 April 1835

As Captain G. Peirce, R.N., inspecting commander of the coast guard on the Fowey station, was on the look out, with some of his men, on Saturday night, they discovered a large body of smugglers evidently engaged in conveying contraband spirits from the shore. . . The body of smugglers, who were armed with clubs, exceeded 100 men, but they were attacked at different times, .then after some desperate struggles, ten of the smugglers and 118 tubs of spirits were captured... In the encounters between the parties, one of the coast-guard and several of the smugglers were severely wounded; some of the latter were taken off by their companions on horse­back, and conveyed from the coast  

Scilly - 3rd June 1836

Several petty seizures of spirits have lately been made, by the Preventive Coast Guard, on the Islands of St. Mary’s and St. Agnes, in consequence (as is understood) of private information.  Two of the St. Agnes pilot-boats, named the "Champion" and the "Exmouth", 
have likewise been seized and detained, which will occasion distress of no ordinary kind to the inhabitants of that Island.
 
On Tuesday in Whitsun-week (being holiday time) a number of young persons at St. Mary's got an effigy prepared, which they paraded through the town and country, preceded by a flag, a bell, and music; and followed by a merry group of boys and girls, amidst much jeering and laughter by the by-standers, which continued until the figure "made an illustrious exit in flames", according to the common custom in such cases made and provided.
 
On the same day the "juveniles" of  St. Agnes wished to treat themselves and others with a somewhat similar exhibition, but they were interrupted by some preventative men (who had been "armed" in expectation of a riot) and who, with drawn swords and pistols, attacked  some and pursued others of the "merry-makers" which gave the affair an aspect rather serious.  No real mischief, however, ensued; and on the following day "the party" was allowed to carry, and burn, their effigy in quietness, as originally intended.  The two offending preventive men were subsequently convicted before the magistrates at St. Mary's, on two different charges of assault, and ordered to pay ten shillings each.

Smuggling at Penpoll June 24th 1836

In consequence of information having been received at the Customs House in this town, J. S.Stansmore, Esq. the Collector, and F. Hingston, Esq. the Comptroller, proceeded on Friday last, to Penpoll Wood, about two miles down our river, where they found secreted in a cove about sixty kegs of smuggled spirits, which were safely lodged in the Customs-House.  It is generally supposed that large quantities of contraband spirits have, from time to time, been landed in this wood, and from thence carried into different parts of the  county.

Kynance June 24th 1836
 
On Wednesday evening last, the Coast Guard at Kynance, captured about 50 tubs of contraband spirits on the beach.  They also found a boat and two men in it at Gilling, which was seen near the spot but a few hours before; but as there was not sufficient evidence to commit the men or warrant the detention of the boat, they were set at liberty.

GORAN HAVEN July 23rd 1836

On Monday last, 100 tabs of contraband spirits and glass, were crept up, off the Deadman, by the "Fox" Revenue crazier, in conjunction with Mr. Bolt, chief officer of the station at that place, and were taken the same day to the Custom-House at Fowey.

Smuggling At Falmouth 6 August 1836

A boatman, named Rowe, of Falmouth, has been committed to Bodmin for six months, for having been found with some smuggled tobacco in his possession. 

Smuggling: 4th November 1836

Smuggling - On Monday night last, a boat belonging to the "Dove" cutter, at Falmouth, captured a waterman's boat, with a bale of tobacco of about 156 pounds, and a young man with it, who says he was only a passenger. The men are committed to the town prison, till an answer from the Board of Customs is received.

AUCTION - 20th JANUARY 1837

PORT OF TRURO - By order of the Honorable Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs - On Friday the 3rd of February, 1837, at Eleven o'clock in the Forenoon, will be exposed to PUBLIC SALE, at the Custom-House in this Port, the BROKEN UP HULL of the Brig MERCURY, of London - Seized and condemned for having been employed in smuggling; together with the Sails, Ropes, Masts, Yards, Boat, and all the other Materials belonging to the said Vessel. Also, about 130 Gallons of FOREIGN BRANDY, the greater part nearly proof; twenty-two oars and one Mast. The Goods may be viewed at the Custom-House, on the day of Sale and on the day Before. Custom-House, Truro, January 20 1837

  THE PENALTY OF SMUGGLING 20 January 1837

On Friday the 3rd of February ... will be exposed to public sale, at the Custom-house, at this Port [Truro] the Broken-up-hull of the Brig Mercury, of London, seized and condemned for having been employed in smuggling; together with the Sails, Ropes, Masts, Yards, Boat, and all the other Materials belonging to the said Vessel. Also, about 130 Gallons of Foreign Brandy, the greater part nearly proof; Twenty-two oars; one mast.   

Merit rewarded  October 6, 1837
   
The French Government has presented Mr. Buckett, Searcher and Landing Waiter of the Customs, Falmouth, with a gold medal, in acknowledgment of his meritorious services in rendering assistance to certain French vessels, wrecked in 1830, at Port Holland beach, within that port.  The medal is very handsome.  On one side of it is a head of King Louis Philippe, beautifully executed; on the reverse is the following inscription: - “A. Buckett, Nicholas Martin, officer Des Douanes D’Angleterce – Courage et Devouement Pour Secourir Les Equipages De Navires Francois Saufrages 1830.”  The Lords of the Treasury,in transmitting the medal to the Board of Customs, express their satisfaction that the conduct of Mr. Buckett on the occasion was such as to produce this mark of approbation; and the Board of Customs in forwarding the same to Falmouth with a copy of the Treasury Letter, are also pleased to express their satisfaction.  Mr. B., (we believe), received some time ago the thanks of the Russian Government for [his] meritorious and successful exertions in the case of the Russian brig St. Nicholas, which vessel was wrecked at Port Holland 
beach at the same time as the French vessels before alluded to.  It is but right to observe that the services rendered on this occasion were no doubt prompted by zeal for the benefit of the Customs Revenue, [th]ey will probably not be lost sight of by the heads of [that] department.  Mr. Jonathan Bolt and Mr. Reginald [Ba]rrett, officers of the Coast Guard, have also received [fro]m the French Government, silver medals, for their meritorious exertions on the occasion of the loss of the … vessels above mentioned.  

SeizurE 10 Nov. 1837
On Friday last, the "Fox", revenue cutter, in conjunction with the Coast Guard station at Goran Haven, crept up 79 tubs of brandy, near the Deadman.
 

SmugglinG -  10 nov. 1837
On Tuesday last, George Sampson, and John Jaikes, watermen at Falmouth, were taken in the act of landing some contraband articles at that port, and were committed to the town gaol to await an answer from the Board of Customs, to the report of their case which has been forwarded.

SMUGGLING - 19th OCTOBER 1838

The two men that were captured and brought in to St. Ives last week, in the smuggling cutter “Mermaid” of Plymouth, by the Coast Guard at St. Agnes, were convicted on Wednesday, and sent to the treadmill, Penzance, for six moths.

Seizure 21 Dec. 1838

The French schooner "La Vigilance," a Roseoff, has been seized with ninety-two tubs of contraband spirits on board, and a crew of six Frenchmen and two Englishmen, off Eartus Island, near Newquay, by Mr. John Tanner, of the coast-guard station, St. Agnes.  The crew are in charge of the officers and the spirits are lodged in the custom-house, St. Ives.

GAOLER'S REPORT - 4th JANUARY 1839

The GAOLER's REPORT stated that there was nothing connected with the discipline or health of the prison that called for any remark. The gaoler felt it his duty, however, to report that there were no fewer than nine men in prison committed from St. Ives for smuggling, and of these, only three had been sentenced to labour. The others remained indoors. He felt it necessary to bring this subject before the magistrates, as there was an order from Government for the payment of 6d. a day for the maintenance of persons imprisoned at the suit of that department of the revenue. No allowance was made except the sentence was not to hard labour. It seemed reasonable that on proper application orders should be given for payment of a similar allowance to all crown prisoners, and he begged to observe that the Government did so in some instances. The return of prisoners was 91 men, 16 women, total 107. The rules and regulations of the gaol had been complied with.
                             

SMUGGLING 15th February 1839

On Wednesday last, John Lowry, shopkeeper, Falmouth, was summoned by the Board of Excise to appear before John Ellis, Esq., mayor, and W.H. Bond and T. Hill, Esqrs. magistrates, to answer a charge preferred against him, of having in his house in October, 1838, 7 lbs of negro-head tobacco, the same being smuggled.  The prisoner was defended by W. J. Genn, Esq., and the defence set up was, that the notice was informal and imperfect, and also that the wife of the said John Lowry was the person on whom they should have served the notice, as the count set forth that the said John Lowry did knowingly conceal, &c., when it was clearly proved by the witnesses for the Crown that the husband was not present.  The prisoner's counsel moved for an adjournment to allow time for calling witnesses, and the further hearing was put off to that day fortnight.  The penalty sued for was GBP 100.

BRANDY UNDER A COAL CARGO 24 May 1839

  On Wednesday week, the schooner Marie Vicioire, Capt. Barnett, laden with coals, entered Falmouth Harbour, where she was boarded by one of the preventive men, named Bright, who, as she had long been a suspected vessel, remained with her while she was unloading her cargo, off Malpas. Bright suspected there was something wrong, but the sailors conducted themselves in such a careless and unaffected manner, as to very much shake those suspicions. On Saturday, when a great part of the coal was cleared out, Bright commenced boring in different parts of the vessel, and at length sent his gimlet into a cask of brandy. He immediately sent after the seamen who had gone on shore, but they had effected their escape. The vessel was then brought up to Truro Quay, where she underwent an examination, and it was found that she had a false bottom, and that she was well stored with spirits. On Sunday, the officers began to remove their booty, which amounted to 276 tubs of brandy and geneva; and the vessel, which was registered in the name of Mr. Jago, of Redruth, is now being cut up.  

SMUGGLING - 18th OCTOBER 1839

SMUGGLING - On Sunday morning last, H. M. cutter "Sylvia" commanded by Lieut. Brewer, captured an Irish craft, near the Land's end, having on board 400 tubs of brandy, and four men, and brought them into Penzance pier.

SMUGGLING DETECTED - 27th DECEMBER 1839

On Saturday morning, Mr. H. C. Turner, and Mr. Edmund Randall, two vigilant and active officers, the first of the Excise, and the other of the Customs, having some cause to suspect that contraband goods were brought into town by the stage vans coming from St. Austell, Tregony, and other places near the south coast, took their station about a mile out, on the eastern turnpike road, and carefully searched all the vans as they arrived. Among these was one belonging to a man called Nicholas Fugler, of Tregony, in which they found a keg of French brandy, concealed in a hamper with a little straw on top of it. Upon this they seized the van and all it contained, together with the van horse, and drove off to the Customs house, carrying Fugler with them in custody. The goods were quickly secured in the Queen's warehouse, and the horse and van properly disposed of; while Fugler was taken before the Mayor, who, on hearing the case, remanded him until Friday, agreeably to the Act of Parliament, to afford time for the receipt of orders from the Board of Customs, as to the further proceedings against him. Such of the goods found in the van as belonged to innocent persons, will, no doubt, be restored to their owners.

AN INFORMER AT TREGONY 10 January 1840

On Wednesday evening last, a mob assembled in the street at Tregony, with bundles of reeds and faggots of wood, in order to burn the effigy of Mrs. Rundle, who has been most unjustly accused of giving information against Fugler, the person who has been committed to prison for six months, for having been detected with a keg of contraband spirits in his van: but the rabble was soon dispersed and driven out of the town, by one of the constables acting under the orders of the mayor.  

SMUGGLING - September 18, 1840

On Monday last, a boat belonging to the Royal Tar, Peninsular steamer, was seized, by order of the Honourable Board of Customs, in consequence of some contraband goods having been found in her on her arrival at that port on the 5th instant. An order had been received to secure four of the seamen, but they were discharged in London. In the course of the afternoon, two of the men arrived in the Dublin steamer, Devonshire, and were conveyed to the town prison to be kept till Tuesday next, when an answer from the board might be expected. One of them, named Richard TRANICK, sought for a hearing; and, on Wednesday, he was brought to the Town-hall, before S. BLIGHT, Esq., mayor, and J. ELLIS, Esq., magistrate, when, the witness not being certain of his identity, he was discharged. The other man, named Andrew FRANCIS, remains in custody.

SMUGGLING  SEPTEMBER 28, 1840

On Tuesday last, a seaman named Andrew FRANCIS, one of the two belonging to the Royal Tar, Peninsular steamer, who were taken for smuggling, was brought to the town-hall, Falmouth, before the bench, and on the case being proved, was fined one hundred pounds, or, in default, six months
imprisonment. The fine not being paid, the man was committed to the town prison.

DARING ROBBERTY AT THE HELFORD CUSTOM HOUSE SEPTEMBER 28, 1840

Early on Firday morning, the 18th instant, H.M. Custom-house at Helford, within the Port of Gweek, was attacked by a body of men, consisting, it is
supposed, of upwards of thirty persons, who broke open the heavy doors andstrong locks, and robbed the cellars of 126 kegs of contraband Brandy, each keg containing four gallons and a half of spirits, which was seized on the 3rd instant, at Coverack. The burglars commenced their work about one oclock, and in the course of half an hour succeeded in removing all the kegs except three, which they left for the benefit of the officers at Helford. The man and his wife who live at the custom house heard the men breaking open the cellar doors, but were afraid to give an alarm, which indeed, they could not well do, as the custom house is a remote building nearly three quarters of a mile from any house. From the tracks of wheels, it is supposed there were at least three wagons employed in removing the spirits, and it is probable that the property has found its way to some distance from Manaccan.

SMUGGLING - 17th MAY 1850

On Friday last, two young women named ROSKILLY, were charged with smuggling, before Mr BROAD, may and Lieut HILL, magistrate at the Town Hall, Falmouth. Mr ??? appeared for the prosecution, and Mr GENN??? for the defendant. The first case was against the eldest sister, but the evidence failed, and the complaint was dismissed. The case against the youngest sister was then gone into. Witnesses deposed to searching the house and shop of the defendants, and on following Roskilly upstairs, one of the witnesses picked up a bag containing five pounds of Cavendish tobacco. There appeared some doubt as to the identity of the bag, but it was quite clear that tobacco was not such as was duty paid, and the bench convicted the defendant; as it was the first offence they mitigated the fine for £100 to £25. The money was about to be paid, but the young woman said it should not be done, as the informer would have half the amount; rather than that she would stay six months in prison. She was the committed.

SMUGGLING - 14th JUNE 1850 

SMUGGLING COMMITTALS. - To the Editor of the West Briton. Sir, - I beg leave through the medium of your paper, to call the attention of the public to the following case. Two persons named WHITSON and TREGEAGLE, were about the 14th of last month, taken by a revenue officer in the act of smuggling tobacco, and carried before the magisterial authorities at Truro, by whom they were convicted and sentenced to a fine of £100, or six months' imprisonment. Not having it in their power to pay the fine, they were consequently committed to Bodmin for the specified time, where they are at present, but from whence, I presume they may at any time be emacipated, by paying each £100 to the crown. So far, all the proceedings in this case are legal and in perfect order. But, an apparently singular anomaly attends the Administration of this sentence, which excites considerable surprise, at least, among persons unlearned in the law. These two men, now committed to gaol for the non payment of the above fine, are at present deprived of the comfort of writing to, or receiving letters, from their families and friends, or of being permitted to see any person, whether wife, parent, or any other relative, who might wish to alleviate their distress, by affording them that sympathy and solace, which it seems hard, and not consistent with the merciful stream of English justice, to deny to a prisoner, particularly when under sentence for a crime of minor turpitude. This afflictive prohibition of personal intercourse, or written communication with their families, it is understood they are doomed to endure for three calendar months! These persons are consequently debarred all knowledge of their personal and private concerns, and their families may be involved in irretrievable ruin for want of their advice and direction. Both these men having large families, their wives and children are exposed to an amount of suffering only required, one might suppose, in cases of high crimes, where, state necessity could alone justify the imposition of such a stone measure of punishment. Now the common impression, among the in legibus indocti, is that as they are only crown debtors, and the payment of a sum of money, would at any moment cancel their crime, and compromise their punishment, that therefore, any penal restrictions, beyond what are necessary for their safe custody, and the useful regulations of a prison would be unnecessarily harsh and such as Mr WYNDHAM would have designated, "a rigour beyond the law." It seems a novelty to the public, that men, convicted of mere finable offences, should be deprived of pen, ink, and paper, and bereft of the only comfort left them, that of seeing and communing with those most dear to them on earth, and be cut off from all knowledge of their household concerns at home! It naturally reminds us of the place, and the period, when letters de cachet flew round at the bidding of tyrants, and the Bastile swallowed within its cold and sombre recesses, the pale and murky victims of despotic vengeance. It savours of the tender mercies of the Star Chamber, and calls up the recollection of the holy inquisition. But this splenetic mode of punishment, Mr Editor, is not at all in harmony with the mild character of British justice, particularly for an offence, not considered malum in se, but which the law only places amongst the "mala prohibita." It has been held by writers on criminal jurisprudence, and more particularly by MONTESQUIEU and BLACKSTONE, that extreme punishments are by no means effectual in the prevention of crime. The latter says, that "punishments of unreasonable severity, especially when indiscriminately inflected, have less effect in preventing crimes, and amending the manners of the people, than such as are more merciful in general." - In the present improved condition of society, it is only the vitiated in taste, that seek to inflect vindictive penalties. It will furnish much satisfaction, Mr Editor, to many of your readers, if any gentleman, versed in law, will explain how far such a mode of punishing crown debtors is authorised by statute, or can in any mode be construed as being in unison with the general wisdom and humanity of the principles of the British constitution. I remain, yours respectfully, VINDEX. Dated June 10, 1850.

SMUGGLING. - 2nd August 1850

On Monday last, Mr William MICHAEL, late master of the barque "Esther Frances," from Havannah, was charged before the mayor of Falmouth and Lieut. HILL and Mr ROGERS, justices, with having smuggled eleven and three quarters pounds of cigars in ten boxes. This was the man who (as was stated last week) was charged with attempting to poison his crew, but against whom the evidence was altogether incomplete on that charge, which was therefore dismissed by the magistrates. On the present occasion Mr TILLY appeared for the Board of Customs, and Mr GENN for the defendant. It appeared that the information that there were smuggled cigars on board, was given to BENNETTS, the constable, by the mate of the vessel, Robert DUNNAPACE. The witnesses examined in support of the charge were John SEDGEMEND, an extra man of the customs at Falmouth, E. Bennetts, constable, Robert Dunnapace, mate of the vessel, an apprentice on board called CLARKE, Mr HURST, tide-surveyor, Mr. SHELLEY, collector of customs, and a daughter of the constable. Mr. Genn cross-examined the witnesses, but the Bench considered the case proved, and fined the defendant £100, or in default six month' imprisonment. The fine not being paid, the defendant was confined in the borough goal.

On Tuesday last, Mr. E. Bennetts, constable, was summoned for obstructing a person in the preventive service, when discharging his duty. The matter arose out of the proceedings in the trial, against the captain of the "Esther Francis".

Smuggling - 4 November 1853

SMUGGLING. - On Thursday the 27th ult., Edward PHILLIPS, of Hayle, was charged by Mr. Thomas FERRING?? Collector of H.M. Customs, before the Rev. U. TONKIN, with having illegally landed from a foreign vessel a quantity of cigars, and was fined in the sum of 15s

A NOVEL MODE OF SMUGGLING 3 May 1867

Part of the crew of the Maltese barque Wignacourt, were charged on Thursday, at the Town-hall, Falniouth, with smuggling tobacco, and remanded. On the officers of the St. Mawes Custom’s boat searching the vessel, they found 117 lbs. of tobacco and 14 lbs. cigars secreted. Some of the tobacco was made up in the form of life-belts and covered with canvas. A great quantity of cigars were found to be down the sides of the masts, but could not be got up, and an officer will probably have to go with the vessel to her port of discharge so as to obtain possession of them as the cargo is discharged.      

TOBACCO SMUGGLING - 21st FEBRUARY 1887

West Kerrier Petty Sessions - Wednesday - Before the Rev. A.A. Vawlrey (chairman), Capt. J.P. Rogers, R.A., and the Rev. A.H.M.. St. Aubyn.
Tobacco - Smuggling - John Nankervis, of Ruan Minor, pleaded guilty to having unlawfully in his possession several pounds of tobacco. - Mr. Manners, collector of Customs at Falmouth, prosecuted, and stated that he and the coastguard officers of the Lizard visited defendant's house, and told him they had suspicion of being unlawfully possessed of leaf tobacco. Defendant denied that he had, but on the house being searched, some sailor's pig tobacco was found under the bed. It was about ten pounds. It was stolen from the wreck of the "Suffolk." - Nankervis, who had nothing to say, was fined £5 2s., including costs.                        

THE SLOOP INN, ST. IVES. 12 January 1899

The landlady [Mrs. Elizabeth Baragwanath] and her father before her occupied the house for nearly 50 years. She has its history at her fingers’ ends; back to the time of an old smuggler known only as “Old Tubs” He and another noted and daring smuggler, whom they always called “Old Worms,” and who had the command of the “swag” in Hicks’s court, are the best remembered characters in St. Ives, and many a well authenticated tale of savage conflict between King’s officers and St. Ives smugglers dates from Hicks’s-court, and the Sloop on the foresands. In and around the Sloop during election time congregated hundreds of fishermen; beer flowed like water. The red coat and cocked hat of an Exciseman were a red rag to an infuriated bull; party fights with fists, sticks, stones, and any other weapons coming to hand would throw Donnybrook into shadow. The most severe party fight ever known in St. Ives was on the 27th of March, 1820, when the effigy of one Tom Tucket was burnt in front the Sloop for the part he took in the return of Messrs. Evelyn and Graham to Parliament. The members were charged with bribery, but their election was confirmed by the House of Commons. About 700 men, boys, and women were all fighters together on the foresands, and great personal injury was inflicted.                               

In 1899, the Sloop Inn was a low, yellow-washed house crouched beneath a two centuries old slate roof with tiny dormer windows. Inside, was “like the deck of an old 74 line of battle ship—all beams and timbers”, while upstairs, “a four poster bed would fill the state-room; the others were smaller.”]