Charles Lutwidge sails to the Island

May it please Your Honours

In obedience to your Honours Orders I sailed from Whitehaven the 10th Instant in His Majesty's Cutter the Cholmondeley Captain Lutwidge with the following Officers John Bowness, William Donald, Edward Colthard, Joseph Denton, Philip Barnes, Samuel Kirkpatrick and Hugh Shepherd accompanied also by Mr Fearon in the Cruising Wherry, and three Eight Oar'd Barges in Your Honours Service. These Officers and Boatmen I have distributed and fixed at each of the four Ports in this Island, and have no doubt will have the desired effect, in preventing and putting Stop to any Illicit Trade. - But as it is doubtfull, whether this letter may not be intercepted, I humbly refer your Honrs to a particular account of my transactions, which shall send off by special Pacquet tomorrow. I at this time take the liberty of informing your Honours that from enquiries made at this Port in which I have been very particular and even from the the Confession of several of the Merchants themselves, it appears that your Honours have been imposed upon in the Application made for Licences for Shipping Rum and Brandy to England under pretensions imported and designed for the African Trade, not one Gallon having been brought in or intended soley for that purpose. As the Clause therefore in the Act which impowers the issuing such Licences gives a discretionary Power to grant them only in such Cases as Your Honours shall think proper.

I therefore humbly recommend, that in the Licences hereafter granted there may be no Allowance for the Exportation of Brandy or Rum unless Oath be made it was really designed and intended for the African Trade what is now upon hand being imported entirely (I verily believe) for the purpose of Smugling the other Articles allowed by the said Act vizt Gunpowder, Cowies &c. I apprehend may be mentioned in the Licences, without any Detriment to the Revenue.
I am etc Chas Lutwidge
Port Douglas 15th June 1765

Notes

Charles Lutwidge was a major player in this period, his role was noted as Surveyor General and Supervisor for the Coasts of Cumberland, Westmoreland, and the port of Lancaster; following the coming into force of the Revestment Act and the official handover from the Atholls to the British Crown on the 21st June 1765, he was sworn in as Receiver General and Collector of His Majesty's Customs within the Island on the 1st July 1765.