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great that it is utterly impossible to entirely Even Buckle, in his "History of Civilization,' in portraying the condition to which a too high suppress and exterminate the smugglers. Mr. protective tariff had brought England, has sug- Nathan Sargent, United States Commissioner gested an excuse for them. Blanqui, an ex- of Customs, and the officer charged with the tremist among free trade economists, has bold-prevention of smuggling, has declared that the ly declared that "to smuggling it is owing that proposed repeal of a law offering inducements commerce did not perish under the influence to citizens to expose smugglers of whose operThe sternest moralist ations they may become informed, will make of prohibitive laws." returning from Havana may argue himself into "smuggling not only a highly profitable busiIf the additional incarrying a few hundred cigars above the legal ness, but one that may be prosecuted with comallowance, and yet be thought none the less paratively little risk." moral by his fellow-smokers; and one rather ducement of a high protective tariff is added, it admires the tact of the charming creature who is the opinion of men experienced in trade and tells him, without a conscious blush or the slight-political economy that we will soon become a est twinge of conscience, that her rich Valenciennes was smuggled from France on some other part of her handsome person than that which it now adorns. But governments have never been known to talk of smugglers in apologetic terms, or look upon their deeds with pardoning smiles. Our government, though peculiar in many respects, is not singular in this, and the most perfectly organized department of our police of the sea is the Revenue Service. The Treasury Department may fail to oil its lights and restore its light-houses, and forget to man its life-boats, but its revenue marine is comparatively full and well served. Still, it is inadequate for its duties.

nation of smugglers. The first step has been At various times extensive comtaken since Mr. Sargent wrote, and the second may yet be. binations between large merchants in this country and others in Europe have existed by which Unwise the payment of duties may be avoided, much to the damage of all honest merchants. legislation on this subject may not only extend these, but turn our coast farmers and wreckers into ready and willing aids, or at least lead them to countenance the operations of the smugglers. If the coast residents have no inducements to expose villainy they will not go to expense and trouble to do it; and they will as certainly fail to complain of, or object to, the The extent of smuggling, and the consequent midnight impressment of their horses and wagloss to the revenue of the United States, can ons for the conveyance of contraband goods, as is not from the very nature, and doubtless from now sometimes done, if an apology for the rude"No one," the magnitude of such operations, be enumer- ness in the shape of a bolt of goods or other ated in figures. The facilities for smuggling valuables is left in their stead. our extended and varied frontier are so said Commissioner Sargent, alluding to the fa

on

[graphic]

THE BARGE-OFFICE, NEW YORK CITY.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

cilities for smuggling on our coast, "can fully seen afar off," says Mr. Sargent, "by the realize them who has never traveled along our small craft, by means of which smuggling on northern boundary line from Eastport, Maine, the coast is done, and long ere the cutters can to Port Angeles, Washington Territory, a dis- descry the latter they have taken shelter behind tance of from three to four thousand miles, or some island, run into some inlet, bayou, or who has never attempted to stop blockade-run- river, within ten miles of which, perhaps, the ning along our southern coast. But perhaps, cutters can not approach. What is needed, in after all," he adds, "the port of New York-a place of these large and very expensive steamlabyrinthine world of itself-affords as great, ers, is small, light-draught boats, that have if not greater, facilities for defrauding the rev-speed enough to overhaul any water craft, enue, by evading payment of duties, as any oth- and which will require not more than five er locality; and I have reason to believe that hands to man them. With such crafts smugthe most of what is done there is done on a large scale." And also on a small scale too, if we are to judge from the same officer's report; for he states that of the $1,268,140 40 of seizures made in 1867 by inspectors of passengers' baggage in all the ports of the country, $731,070 35, or considerably over one-half, was made in the port of New York alone.

gling along the coast may be prevented; with those now in the service, never."

The manner in which the Marine is used can best be explained by describing the operations of the inspectors in port-say in that of New York. The inspectors and special agents and detectives are required to assemble daily for duty at the Revenue Barge-office, a small, dinTo prevent smuggling the Government main- gy, white, and peculiarly-shaped building locatains a fleet of steamers, which is called "the ted on the Battery, at the extreme southern end Revenue Marine." It consists of 43 vessels, of New York city. Here one of the two tugs comprising 25 steamers and 18 sailing vessels. kept for boarding purposes is always in waiting. The majority of the steamers are large, ranging When a steamer is telegraphed from Sandy from 350 tons burden upward to most unwieldy Hook as entering the harbor the tug steams monsters, and all painted black from stem to up, and with its detail of inspectors, varied in stern. Four of the steamers, however, are number according to the size and character of small steam-tugs employed in special board- the steamer arriving, puts off to meet the spoking and inspecting service at New York, Bos- en vessel. When the two meet, the steamer, ton, and New Orleans. The cutters are al-recognizing the Revenue flag with its vertical most too large, and they are really intended rather to collect the revenue than to prevent its spoilation by smugglers. "They can be

stripes, at once comes to; the tug runs up alongside, and the inspectors march boldly on board; that is, most of them; but one at least of the

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an assurance that their names are not to be
In 1867 Con-
made known; otherwise their property, if not
their lives, would be in danger.
The effect is not
gress in part repealed this law by withdrawing
the pecuniary inducement.

Legislation on this branch
yet visible, but it is not difficult to conceive
what it will be.
of the coast service has not been much wiser
or more liberal than in the other not less im-
portant departments.

We might take a wise lesson in this matter from England. An organization on our coast similar to that known as the Coast-Guard of England would largely add to the efficiency of the light-house, life-boat, salvage, and customs services of the country.

more experienced detectives smuggles himself on board unobserved, and at once mingles among the passengers. He observes the actions of each, and picks out, with educated eyes, every smuggler on board; the old ones he knows; the amateurs betray themselves by manner if not by word. In the mean time the chief of the inspectors has examined the passenger-list, and is prepared to begin an examination of the bagOn reaching the dock communication gage. with the shore is prohibited; the passengers become prisoners, and baggage for once takes precedence of owner. When all the baggage is on the wharf the examination begins. Owners are called upon to point out their trunks, the keys are demanded, and the contents examined. The English coast-guard was first organized When the passenger is suspected by the special detective, who conveys his suspicions to the in- during the time of Napoleon I., and was originspectors by signs, or by the inspector himself ally intended to defend the coasts from sudden in consequence of nervous manner and uneasy descents of the enemy, and to give warning of movements, the trunks are searched a second the approach of his fleets. The whole coast of time more thoroughly, or perhaps the person England was patrolled day and night, and a gone semaphoric telegraph, or series of signal stations, of the passenger is also examined or through." Where nothing contraband is found encircled the "tight little island," rendering the trunks are passed through the gates of the communication easy and rapid. When Napodock and the passenger is at liberty. If con- leon died the English did not disband their traband goods are found, but the manner of the coast-guard, but employed it in another direcowner leads the inspector to think he is igno- tion, and attempted with it to baffle the schemes The annual rant of the fact, he is allowed to pay the duty of the smugglers. At that time smuggling was and carry off the goods. But those dutiable very remunerative and extensive. goods found in suspicious quantities or places sum lost to the British Government by the imin the trunk or on the persons of individuals go portation of contraband goods from France to enrich the Government. Professional smug- alone was estimated at $4,000,000 in gold. In glers have been frequently captured in this port 1822 fifty-two vessels as blockaders, 1500 men with fifty or more gold watches on each of their of the navy, and the whole coast-guard were enpersons, with diamonds secreted in their boot-gaged in suppressing smugglers. But in the heels, and lace sewed in lap-rugs, soiled linen, end it was found that the expense of this preThe free traders came into and under-skirts. The present system of spe- ventive force was larger than the amount saved cial inspectors has been only lately introduced, to the customs. but its signal success will probably lead to its power, and successive reductions in the duties extension. The $1,268,140 40 of extra seiz- put an end to smuggling in a cheap, legitimate But still the English did not disband the ures made in this way in 1867 cost the Govern- way. ment an extra expense of only $116,582, show-coast-guard; it was employed in still another ing a net profit for that year of over a million direction, and was ordered to do battle with the tempests! of dollars to the Government.

The most effective part of the system for pre

venting coast smug

gling belongs to the

land service. By an

old law of 1799 he
who gives informa-
tion upon which seiz-
ures and forfeitures
are made is entitled
to one-fourth of the
It is this
forfeiture.
hope of gain which
has induced farmers,
fishermen, and wreck-
ers to give informa-
tion to the officers of
customs of smuggling
operations near their
They
habitations.
give such informa-
tion invariably under

The coast-guard is now, and has been since

[graphic]

REVENUE CUTTER ON PATROL.

since 1824 to humane and intrepid persons who have risked their lives in saving others, 207 were given to coast-guardsmen. More coast-guardsmen wear the Albert medal, given by the Queen in person, than men of any other profession, trade, or service. But, though a distinct organization, the Life-boat Institution is now consid

as such its operations are well worthy of our attention and emulation.

Its published history does not say so, but it is not improbable that the first idea of the Lifeboat Institution was given by Anna Gurney, the 'crippled lady of Norfolk," in whose honor Joanna Baillie wrote her "Night Scene by the Sea," and in which Miss Gurney,

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1857, when it became a part of the Admiralty | silver medals of honor issued by the Institution and ceased to be a branch of the customs service, the marine police of England. It forms both a fleet and an army. The fleet consists of 38 watch-vessels, 12 guard-ships, and 48 cruisers. The force of the army I do not know precisely, but it is near 4000 strong. The coast is divided into districts, each commanded by a captain of the royal navy, with the usual sub-ered a part of the coast-police of England, and officers as staff. Each district is divided into stations, at each of which a certain proportion -from 10 to 15 men-of the force is lodged. The stations consist of groups of five or six cottages, surrounded by a wall and fronting the sea, and a watch-tower furnished with telescopes, etc. The wives and families of the guardsmen live with them in their cottages free of rent. The pay I do not know, but believe it is about the same as that of a man-of-warsman, which the guardsman must have been for seven years, and in which he must have distinguished himself, before he can get into the coast service. They are not admitted after the age of 35 years, nor retained after 65, but pensioned ($100 per annum) after twenty years' service. It is the riches cast up by the sea which is the chief reward of the guardsman in active service. In cases of wreck, after all life is saved, the guardsman is permitted to do duty on his own account as a wrecker, and not a little of the aggregate salvage awards of England are made to the coast-guards.

"One with limbs nerve-bound,

Whose feet had never touched the ground,"

is described as foremost in affording aid to ship-
wrecked seamen. Miss Gurney was the first
person in England to maintain at private ex-
pense a life-boat, and she was accustomed to
being wheeled in her chair to the beach during
the wildest storms to superintend the operations
of the boatmen.
Her name does not appear

among the list of donors of boats to the present
Institution; but it is known that Miss Gurney
left, at her death, all her means to establish
life-boats on the coast of Norfolk.
This ex-
ample has been largely followed in England
since; and the establishment of a life-boat on
a dangerous coast is now looked upon by En-
glishmen as a most practical method of giving
thanks to God for some mercy received. Since
the organization of the Royal National Life-
boat Institution in 1824 donations of this char-
acter have gone to swell its fleet until it num-

Their duties are simple, but often dangerous. The navy cruises along the coast, keeping a look-out for ships in distress, and a sharp eye on suspicious vessels. The force on shore has little to do by day but to walk the beat or district, watch through their telescopes the sea and the clouds for ships and storms, and to communicate with the next post. At night the coast-guards-bered, in April, 1868, one hundred and sixtymen on their beat watch the light-houses and report their condition-thus proving constant spies on the keepers, and securing, by this surveillance, the faithful execution of their most important duties. They observe and report the movements of all suspicious craft, and by means of the electric telegraph, which now surrounds Great Britain, pass their information from station to station. They watch the barometers, and all the other natural and scientific storm indicators, and telegraph every meteorological change to Greenwich Observatory and the Admiralty House. They man in an emergency the lifeboats which are attached to the stations, and often are among the first to volunteer service in the boats of the Royal National Life-boat Institution.

The latter organization, one of the most purely philanthropic associations which has ever existed, may really be considered a part of the coastguard service. The coast-guard district commander is a member of the district committee of the Institution. Some of the coast-guards volunteer under the coxswain-superintendents in charge of the boats of the Institution in nearly every emergency. Of the 724 gold and

eight boats. (The whole number of life-boats
in England, including those of the coast-guard,
harbors, and corporations, was 207.) A person
giving a life-boat to the Institution has the priv-
ilege of naming her and designating the coast
on which she shall serve. I find numerous do-
nations of boats attributed, in the report of the
Institution for 1868, to persons who had been
rescued from shipwreck, or in the name of those
lost at sea, and as "thank-offerings."
The Institution has now been in active oper-
ation since 1824. In that year the boats of the
Institution, aside from those of the coast-guard,
saved 124 lives. The number annually saved
since has increased regularly with the increase
of boats. In 1867 the number of lives saved
was 1086; the total for 44 years was 16,987.
In addition to the lives saved in 1867 thirty-
five vessels were saved from destruction, and
assistance was rendered to 19 others. Among
other vessels saved from being wrecked by the
life-boatmen was the A. L. Routh, of New York,
with a crew of 16 souls. The lives of 20 other
American seamen were saved from the wrecks
of the Nor' Wester, of Boston; Thornton, of New
York; and Ant, of Boston.

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As

CHRISTCHURCH.

SI turned aside from the main line of the Southwestern Railway in Hampshire I found myself in a singularly barren and lonely region of broad, flat heaths, covered with ferns burned brown by the fierce heat of the last summer, which stretch down almost to the snowwhite cliffs of the coast. And yet I felt myself only the last of a long procession of pilgrims who have in ages far past, and the age present, found something to draw them through these unattractive fields; for there, rising into the blue and gold of a pure Indian Summer day, stood the gray tower of Christchurch. An now, drawing nearer, the desolation is left behind, and green meadows and oak copses mark where the Avon flows. Beautiful river, what stories you have for those who can understand your murmurings! What an instinct you have for wandering into sacred spots! I have a fancy that the Avon becomes calmer and more silvery, and its lilies more profuse, as it passes the homes of Sidney and Herbert, or "eflects now the peerless spire of Salisbury, and now the old Norman church there with its shrine of Shelley. (And yet there is a still more sacred Avon-a Celtic word, by-the-way, for water, related to the Ahava of the Bible.) The river preserves its aristocratic character down to its mouth, and though it never refused old Izaak VOL. XXXVIII.-No. 226.-29

Walton* or his followers a good day's sport, it doesn't like to turn mill-wheels, and, even after it has been wedded to the Stour at Christchurch, it passes gently to the harbor through a mouth that will admit no ships of any tonnage. Nor is this marriage complete, the Stour for some distance keeping its darker waters aside from the blonde Avon. In Christchurch Bay, where the united rivers speedily make their lovers'-leap, occurs the phenomenon of the double high tide. There, too, stretches out Hengistbury Head, a bold promontory, whose name indicates those who first set foot upon it. Whether Hengist himself ever landed there or not, the place is scarred all over with the marks of Saxon, Danish, and Roman occupation. "The harbor," says an old chronicler, "was well adapted to their [Saxons'] small vessels, and their process on arrival was doubtless to draw up their vessels on the south side of the harbor; and leaving a garrison behind them

epitaph on Walton, who was buried in the neighborI found in a book of this region (1798) an atrocious ing cathedral of Winchester. Here are specimen lines: "Shall none thy virtues hook into a rhime?.... A rod himself who grants no line to thee.... Skilled from the highest to the lowest scale.... He who caught every thing last caught his death.. As worms have food for him so often gained, Now food for worms himself is here detained," etc.

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