order still further to make the
cruisers independent of the shore and able to offer no excuse for
running into harbour they were ordered never to proceed to sea without
three weeks' provisions and water. As to the widows of mariners, they
were to receive L10 per annum.

So much, then, for the new conditions of service in these Revenue
craft as undertaken by the Admiralty. Let us now obtain some idea of
the duties that were attached to these officers and vessels. The
commanders were directed by the Admiralty to make themselves familiar
with the Acts of Parliament for the prevention of smuggling, Orders in
Council, Proclamations, &c., and to obey the instruction of whatever
admiral they were placed under, as also the commanders of any of his
Majesty's ships whom they might fall in with "diverting you from the
cruise on which you are employed."

Each commander was assigned his own particular station for cruising,
and he was never to lie in any harbour, bay, or creek unless by stress
of weather or other unavoidable necessity. He was to keep a look-out
for vessels of a suspicious appearance, which, in respect of size and
build, appeared to be adapted for smuggling. Especially was he to look
out for French craft of this description. Having arrested them he was
to hand them over to the nearest man-of-war. He was also to keep a
smart look-out for the smugglers' practice of sinking goods and
afterwards creeping for them. The cruisers were to visit the various
creeks and bays; and whenever weather permitted the commander was to
send a boat and crew to examine such places at night. And, if
necessary, the crew were to remain there until the cruiser came to
fetch them back in the morning.

Care was to be taken that the smugglers themselves no less than their
craft and goods were to be captured, and the commanders of these
cruisers were to co-operate with the Land-guard and keep in close
touch with the Riding officers ashore as well as the Sitters of
Preventive boats, and to agree upon a code of signals between them,
as, for example, by making false fires at night or the hoisting of
proper colours in the different parts of the vessel by day, so that
the shore officers might be informed of any suspicious vessels on the
coast. These cruisers were also to speak with all the ships with
which they fell in, and to direct any ships subject to quarantine to
proceed to quarantine stations. And if they came across some
merchantman or othe