DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 287 



6th and 7th of William the Third, for attending upon urgent occa- 

 sions, at the landing goods out of ships wrecked or stranded on the 

 coast, and at the landing and reshippmg goods out of and into ships 

 putting into the port in distress to refit, which gratuities are more or 

 less as the merchants and Officers agree, and are regulated by the 

 difficulty attending such services, viz. 



s. d. i s. d. 



Collector from 10 6 to 6 6 



Comptroller 7 to 4 14 6 



Surveyor. 5 3 to 3 3 



But these fees we do not remember to have taken at any time, be- 

 cause we have seen no ships in distress, except those as have so much 

 engaged our humanity as to induce us to be more ready to afford 

 relief and assistance to the parties, than to exact any gratuity from 

 them. 



The Custom-house Officers at Newfoundland attend upon the trade 

 early and late, keeping no holidays; and even on Sundays, when it 

 has been found beneficial to the trade, they have never refused their 

 attendance, and constantly have given them credit, from the spring 

 till the months of November and December, for their fees, &c. taking 

 then bills of exchange, by which they frequently lose money, and in 

 a recent case more than 50Z. Such circumstances would not be men- 

 tioned by the Officers, but to show that they have not, by any illiberal 

 or oppressive conduct on their parts, merited the present, or indeed 

 any complaint against them ; and they have constantly pledged them- 

 selves to remove any difficulties that should arise, provided it could 

 be done with propriety. 



It is hoped, that the predicament in which the Officers have been 

 and continue to be placed, will be the means of such future laws and 

 regulations for their protection, as will secure to them that safety 

 and justice, which His Majesty's servants employed in the Revenue 

 enjoy in other situations, without which the most solemn decisions 

 will not avail, particularly in Newfoundland, where the field for an 

 extensive contraband trade is greater than can be described, particu- 

 larly on debenture goods, the produce and manufactures or Europe, 

 as well as that of the United States of America ; and from a knowl- 

 edge of the trade of Newfoundland, and the experience the present 

 Officers have, it is presumed, that in an island in which there are 

 such numerous harbours, such refractory inhabitants, and at present 

 no established police, the Officers cannot but meet with infinite diffi- 

 culty in the discharge of their respective duties. 



It is not only the interest of the fair trader, but essentially that of 

 the public, that the restrictions and regulations of the Act of Navi- 

 gation, and the Laws of Trade, should be vigilantly guarded arid 

 strictly enforced, if not, the benefits derived by the Fishery will soon 

 be lessened. 



In addition to the foregoing, I beg to observe, that were the 

 174 idea of the gentlemen of the trade to take place, the fees upon 

 the whole trade of Newfoundland, would, for all the Officers, 

 be 125Z. per annum. 



I submit therefore to what a humiliating situation they must be 

 reduced, if such an arrangement was to take place. 



