424 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



may be a help to the officers." Authority was therefore 

 requested for the proposed change of residence.* 



I* 1 X 737> the question was revived by the Commissioners 

 of Customs, who again laid stress upon the frequent loss of 

 revenue, by reason of the debentures issued at Stornovvay. 

 They drew a picture of commercial immorality which is 

 not over-flattering to the Stornoway traders. A certain 

 William Smith, land surveyor at Prestonpans, had been 

 sent to Lewis during the previous fishing season, to inquire 

 into the truth of the charges of fraud made against the 

 merchants. His report was that, in point of fact, greater 

 quantities of fish were certified than some of the ships could 

 possibly carry. He adds : " Besides the inconveniency and 

 detriment to the service, the fair traders are much injured, 

 for the fishing being in the lakes upon the mainland, they 

 are first obliged to ship their fish and then proceed to 

 Stornoway, where there is no quay to land them on, but on 

 the contrary, a stony beach which cuts the barrels and 

 damnifies the fish ; under pretence whereof, it appears the 

 officers have sometimes taken the shipmaster's oath for the 

 quantity on board, without landing, viewing, examining, and 

 branding the casks . . . that the ships being thus detained 

 in proceeding to the Island of Lewis, is often the occasion 

 of the loss of markets." 



The Commissioners conceived that these inconveniences 

 could only be remedied by removing the Custom House to 

 the " entry of Loch Broom," as being more central for the 

 most important fishing lochs, and more suitable than 

 Bernera, which had formerly been proposed. They there- 

 fore prayed the Treasury for a commission, whereby the 

 residence of the officers might be fixed at some convenient 

 place near Loch Broom. The Treasury, in reply, stated 

 that they had no objection to the Commissioners applying 

 for a commission.f The rest of the story is missing, but 

 Stornoway does not appear to have ever been deprived of 

 its Custom House. Incidentally, the information given in 



* Treasury Board Papers (281), No. 40 (Feb. 27, 1732-3). 

 f Idem (294), No. 36 (March 25, 1737). 



: 



