n allowed was, that when officers of the
Waterguard were removing from one station to another, they might use
such a boat to convey their families with them provided it did not
interfere with the duties of these officers. So also some of the
commanders of the cruisers had even taken on board apprentices and
been dishonest enough to have them borne on the books as able seamen,
and drawn their pay as such. The Board not unnaturally deemed this
practice highly improper, and immediately to be discontinued. No
apprentices were to be borne on the books except the boy allowed to
all cruisers.

After a smuggling vessel's cargo had been seized and it was decided to
send the goods to London, this was done by placing the tobacco,
spirits, &c., in a suitable coaster and despatching her to the Thames.
But in order to prevent her being attacked on the sea by would-be
rescuers she was ordered to be convoyed by the Revenue cutters. The
commander of whatever cruiser was in the neighbourhood was ordered "to
accompany and guard" her to the Nore or Sea Reach as the case might
be. Every quarter the cruisers were also to send a list of the
seizures made, giving particulars of the cruiser--her name, burthen,
number of guns, number of men, commander's name, number of days at sea
during that quarter, how many days spent in port and why, the quantity
of goods and nature of each seizure, the number and names of all
smuggling vessels captured, both when and where. There was also to be
sent the number of men who had been detained, how they had been
disposed of, and if the men had not been detained how it was they had
escaped.

"Their Lordships are induced to call for these returns," ran the
instruction, "in order to have before them, quarterly, a comparative
view of the exertions of the several commanders of the Revenue
cruisers.... They have determined, as a further inducement to
diligence and activity in the said officers, to grant a reward of L500
to the commander of the Revenue cruiser who, in the course of the year
ending 1st October 1808, shall have so secured and delivered over to
his Majesty's Naval Service the greatest number of smugglers; a reward
of L300 to the commander who shall have secured and delivered over the
next greatest number, and a reward of L200 to the commander who shall
be third on the list in those respects." That was in September of
1887.

During the year ending October 1, 1810, Captain Gunthorpe, commander
of the E