t be made for delays, it was decided that in future the
Inspecting Commanders of Districts be empowered to incur expenses up
to L35 for the repairs which a cutter might need, and L5 for similar
repairs to her boats. The commanders of the cruisers were also
permitted to incur any expenses up to L20 for the cutter and boats
under their command. Such expenses were to be reported to the Board,
with information as to why this necessity had arisen, where and by
what tradesmen the work had been done, and whether it had been
accomplished in the most reasonable manner. At the end of the
following year, in order still further to prevent cruisers being
absent from their stations "at the season of the year most favourable
for smuggling practices, and when illegal proceedings are generally
attempted," _i.e._ in the dark days of autumn and winter and spring,
and in order, also, to prevent several cutters being in the Port of
London at the same time, "whereby the part of the coast within their
respective districts would be left altogether without guard," the
commanders of these cruisers were to give warning when it was apparent
that extensive repairs were needed, or a general refit, or any other
cause which compelled the craft to come up to London. Timely notice
was to be given to the Board so that the necessity and propriety
thereof should be inquired into. It was done also with a view to
bringing in the cruisers from their respective stations only as best
they might be spared consistent with the good of the service. But they
were to come to London for such purposes only between April 5 and
September 5 of each year. By this means there would always be a good
service of cruisers at sea during the bad weather period, when the
smugglers were especially active.

In our quotation from _The Three Cutters_ in another chapter we gave
the colours of the paint used on these vessels. I find an interesting
record in the Custom House dated November 13, 1812, giving an order
that, to avoid the injury which cruisers sustain from the use of iron
bolts, the decks in future were to be fastened with composition bolts,
"which would eventually prove a saving to the Revenue." After ordering
the commanders to cause their vessels to be payed twice every year
either with paint or bright varnish, and not to use scrapers on their
decks except after caulking, and then only to remove the unnecessary
pitch, the instruction goes on to stipulate the only paint colo