ving, fought so many battles, sailed so many miles,
passed through so many exciting incidents that they would quietly take
to tilling the fields or gathering the crops? Some, no doubt, did;
others applied themselves to some other industries for which they were
fitted. But there were very many who went back to the occupation of
the smuggler. They had heard the call to sea, and since fishing was in
a bad way they must resume running illicit cargoes again. Agriculture
and the like have few fascinations for men who have fought and roamed
the sea most of their lives. So when some enterprising rascal with
enough ready capital came along they were more than prepared to take
up the practice once more.

That was how the matter was viewed from their side. But the Government
were determined that an evil which had been a great worry for at least
a century and a half of English history should be stamped out. The
only way was to make the smuggling unprofitable. Inasmuch as these men
for the most part made their profits through being able to undersell
the fair trader (because there were no Custom duties paid) the most
obvious remedy would have been to lower the rates of import duties.
But since that was not practicable, the only possible alternative was
to increase the dangers and risk to which a smuggler must expose
himself.

And instantly the first step, then, must be towards establishing "such
a system of discipline and vigilance over the Revenue cruisers and
boats as shall give the country the benefit of their constant and
active services." These smuggling pests must be sought out, they must
never be allowed to escape, to laugh defiantly at the Crown's efforts,
and they must be punished severely when captured. It was therefore
deemed by the Treasury that there would be a greater efficiency in
these cruisers if "put under naval watchfulness and discipline,
controlled by such authority as the Department of the Admiralty may
think fit."

The change came about as stated, and the Admiralty retained in the
service those officers and crews of the Revenue cruisers as by length
of service and in other ways had shown that they were fit and
efficient. Those, however, who had grown too old for the work were
superannuated. Similarly, with regard to the Preventive boatmen, these
were also taken over by the Admiralty, but here, again, only those who
were capable were accepted, while for the others "some moderate
provision" was made.

On th