be
acquainted that they are at liberty to crave the extra expense they
shall incur for victualling such persons for the Board's
consideration.

"And the Surveyor for Sloops, &c. is to report more particularly the
nature and objects of enquiry as to the qualification of persons
nominated Sitters of Boats and by what officers in the outports those
enquiries are made and the qualification of such persons certified:
for the Commissioners' further consideration, as to any additional
regulations in respect of persons so nominated."

It was, no doubt, because of such incidents as those which we have
seen occurring in the Channel and North Sea that the Commissioners
tightened up the regulations in the above manner. That these incidents
were not confined to any particular locality let us show by the two
following examples. The first had reference to William Horn, the
Deputed Mariner and Acting Mate of the Revenue cutter _Greyhound_,
whose station was at Weymouth. On the 5th of March 1806 he was in
charge of the cutter whilst on a cruise to the westward. Off Portland
the cutter fell in with a French lugger, which was a privateer. Horn
gave chase, gradually overhauled her, and even came up with her. For a
time he also engaged her, but because he subsequently gave up the
fight, bore up and quitted her, allowing the privateer to escape, he
was deemed guilty by the Customs Board of not having used his utmost
endeavours to effect a capture, and was ordered to be superseded.

The second incident was of a slightly more complicated nature, and
occurred on October 20, 1805, about midnight. The two men implicated
were a Captain Riches, who was in command of the Revenue cutter
_Hunter_, and his mate Oliver.

This vessel, whose station was Great Yarmouth, was on the night
mentioned cruising in the North Sea. Presently the cutter sighted what
turned out to be the Danish merchant ship, _The Three Sisters_,
Fredric Carlssens master, from Copenhagen bound for St. Thomas's and
St. Croix. Oliver got into the cutter's boat and boarded the Dane. He
also demanded from the latter and took from him four cases of foreign
Geneva, which was part of _The Three Sisters'_ cargo. In spite of
Carlssen's opposition, Oliver put these into his boat and rowed off
with them to the _Hunter_. Riches was obviously party to this
transaction, and was accused "that contrary to the solemn oath taken
at his admission into office, he did not only neglect to report to t