China ship, were afterwards feloniously conveyed away, and totally lost to the Proprietors.

It appears indeed, but too certain, that notwithstanding the apparently good system of prevention, adopted by the Commissioners of the two Boards of Revenue, and the East-India Company, pillage to a certain extent prevails in many of their Ships; and that this species of Depredation has been also reduced to a system, since cant phrases are in use for the purpose of holding criminal intercourse, in disposing of articles obtained in this manner.-In this cant language, Tea is known by the appellation of Malt. According to the account given by a person of considerable intelligence, who derived his information from the inferior Revenue Officers themselves, the general pillage of Tea through that medium, takes place in small quantities continually repeated: and in cases, where any of the Officers of either Revenue are not of the class denominated Game Oficers, matters are so managed as to keep them out of the secret. Individual Officers of this class, (who, to use their own language, "have been at India,") have acknowledged to have profited to the extent of, from 20 to 301. by pilfering in a little way from a single Ship.

Under such circumstances, as in others, where the plunder is of greater magnitude, the connivance of the Officers in the Gallies is necessary; and as a recompence for the facilities they afford, a certain share of the booty is assigned them.

The

The Importation of Sugar from India affords a great resource for plunder, which did not formerly exist; and in the depredations on this species of Property, the lower class of Officers and Seamen are equally implicated with the Lumpers. - An instance recently occurred, where a Revenue Officer found a bag of Sugar in the Carpenter's tool-chest.

Where so many appear to be more or less implicated in offences of this nature, it ceases to be a matter of surprise, that such nefarious transactions are concealed and so seldom attract the attention, either of the Commissioners of the Revenue, or the East-India Company.

In an Importation, exceeding Six Millions and a half annually, composed of Merchandise of great value, and contained in an inconceivable number of different packages; passing through a great variety of hands, and no inconsiderable proportion of these in the habit of devising means to obtain plunder, the amount of the annual Depredations must be very considerable, although not easily to be ascertained :-But calculating only at the rate of 1.500 a Ship, including the Craft, on an average, the aggregate amount of loss to the Revenue and the Company, will exceed Twenty-five Thousand Pounds a year. Exclusive of the losses which may be sustained by the pillage and plunder of Goods exported, respecting which it is impossible to form any estimate; although it is evident, that in the removal of nearly Four Millions annually, from the Repositories where

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the Goods are collected, to the different outwardbound Ships, it is not to be supposed that so great a number of Packages can escape the effects of a system of Depredation, which extends its influence in so many directions; and is so completely organized for purposes hostile to the general security of Commercial Property.

DEPREDATIONS

ON THE

WEST-INDIA TRADE,

TO AND FROM THE PORT OF LONDON.

WHILE most other branches of Commerce have been gradually acquiring conveniences and facilities applicable to their progressive increase, the Trade from the Sugar Plantations to the Port of London, seems to have remained in this particular nearly stationary for above one hundred and thirty years, without the advantage of those accommodations and securities which its rapid progress and great extent seemed to require. It has of course, as already appears, been a prey to the most enormous Depredations, perhaps not less than to the extent of Seven Millions Sterling in the course of the Century: -Since even at its commencement, it would seem that there existed a considerable resource for that species of Plunder, which has in the greatest degree excited the attention, and sharpened the ingenuity of the

hordes of Delinquents, who have progressively preyed upon this branch of Commerce.

In the year 1700, the Sugars imported into the River Thames, amounted to about one-fifth part of the present medium quantity.-In 1725, it must have been equal to a third.-In 1750, it was little short of a half: while in 1775, it approached nearly to its average extent for the last twenty-four years; during which period, it has varied from 105,000 to 147,576 casks the quantity Imported for the year ending the 25th of June, 1799. (s) -For fifteen years

(3) Sugar and Rum Imported into London for a period of fifty

subsequent to the middle of the 18th Century, the productions of the West-India Colonies do not seem to have materially increased; and it was not till after the Peace of Paris in 1763, that by the acquisition of new Islands and the extreme enterprise of Individuals, a rapid augmentation became manifest.

From this period the evils of the Port became extremely prominent. The resort of so many additional Ships, and the great and sudden increase of West-India produce without conveniences adequate to the augmentation of this branch of Trade, created much confusion and the most vexatious delays, by which this valuable Property became exposed to that excessive pillage, which has already been in part developed in the preceding Chapter; and which is certainly unexampled in any Commercial Port in the World.

Amidst the various causes of this extensive plunder, the privilege assumed by the Mates of WestIndia Ships, of appropriating to their own use the Sweepings of the hold after the Ship's discharge, was productive of infinite mischief, by furnishing a pretence to the Criminal Dealers in the vicinity of the River, to cultivate their acquaintance for the purpose of bargaining for their Sweepings, and then not only to seduce them into the evil practice of staving Casks and Packages to enlarge, the quantity by excessive spillings of Sugar, Coffee, and other articles; but also to enter into confederacies along with the Revenue

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