rs drew
attention to the third article of the "Instructions for the
Commanders and Mates of the Cruisers employed in the service of this
Revenue," reminding them that the commanders, mariners, and mates were
in no case to be allowed to participate in the officers' shares of
seizures made by the crews of the cruisers unless the first-mentioned
had been actually present at the time when the seizure was made, or
could afford satisfactory proof that they were necessarily absent on
some duty. Therefore the Board now directed that, whenever the crews
of the cruisers made a seizure, a list of the officers who were not
actually on board or in the boats of the cruisers at that time was to
be transmitted to the Board with the account of the seizure. Then
follows the other instruction which has already been alluded to. In
order that the station of the aforesaid cruisers may never be left
unguarded by their coming into port for provisions, or to be cleaned
and refitted, or for any other necessary purpose, the commanders were
instructed to arrange with each other "that nothing but absolute
necessity shall occasion their being in Port at one and the same
time."

It will be recognised that the object of this was, if possible, to
keep the officers of the cruisers on board their vessels, and at sea,
instead of ever running into port. For it would seem that by more than
one of these gentlemen the work of cruising on behalf of the Revenue
Service was regarded too much in the light of a pleasant, extended
yachting trip, with an occasional chase and seizure of a smuggling
craft to break the monotony of their existence and to swell their
purses. But such a pleasant life was not that contemplated by the
Customs authorities.

FOOTNOTES:

[9] "Shallop, a sort of large boat with two masts, and usually rigged
like a schooner."--MOORE.

CHAPTER VII

CUTTERS AND SLOOPS

We have spoken during the preceding chapters of the revenue cruisers
sometimes as cutters and sometimes as sloops. For the reason that will
quickly become apparent let us now endeavour to straighten out any
confusion which may have arisen in the mind of the reader.

Practically, sloops and cutters of these days were one and the same,
with very minor differences. In a valuable French nautical volume
published in 1783, after explaining that the cutter came to the French
from England, the definition goes on to state that in her rigging and
sail-plan she resembles a s