when an investigation was made into his conduct by
the Surveyors-General of the Customs, his defence being that "his men
had deserted him." As for the latter, they reached the shore safely
and were again employed in the Preventive Service.

It is quite clear that the Customs Board sometimes lent their cutters
to the Admiralty; and there is a letter dated October 10, 1809, from
the Admiralty, in which permission is given for the cutters in the
service of that Revenue to be released from their station at Flushing
under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, and there is
also a Customs House minute of July 7, 1806, to the effect that the
_Swan_ and _Hound_ Revenue cutters might be placed under the orders of
Lord Keith in the room of the _Stag_ and _Swallow_, for use at Cowes
and Shoreham, where these cruisers were to be stationed. And it was in
this same year that the Board again emphasized the importance of the
Revenue Service being supported by the Navy and Army, and that to this
end the most effectual encouragement should be held out to both
branches, so that they might co-operate vigorously in the suppression
of smuggling. They further expressed themselves as of the opinion that
"nothing will more effectually tend to encourage them to exert
themselves than the certainty of receiving a speedy reward." And yet,
again, were the Revenue officers enjoined "to be particularly careful
to secure the men employed in smuggling vessels whenever it may be
possible to effect it, as their lordships have the strongest reasons
for believing that the apprehension of being detained and impressed
into his Majesty's service will have a great effect in deterring the
persons engaged in these illegal pursuits from continuing their
pernicious habits."

It was also part of the duty of the Customs officers to attend to the
Quarantine, and the Customs Board resolved "that it is fit to direct a
distinguishing flag to be used on board all boats employed in the
Quarantine service." At Sandgate Creek, Portsmouth, Falmouth, Bristol,
Milford, Hull, Liverpool and Plymouth, by the advice of the Surveyor
for Sloops, a flag was deposited in the Custom House at every port of
the kingdom, and it was resolved that in the above ports there should
be two, except Plymouth, which should have three. Cruisers were also
employed in the Quarantine Service.

We have already seen something of the conditions of service and the
pay of the cruisers' crews.