ks to the Navy, the smugglers had
been given a serious repulse in the most notorious district.

Then there was also the danger of collusive smuggling. For instance,
when a smuggler had been frustrated from successfully landing a cargo
of spirits from a small foreign vessel or boat he might go and give
information to a Custom officer so that he might have the goods seized
by the latter, the arrangement being that the smuggler should be paid
a fair portion of the reward which the officer should receive for the
seizure. Inasmuch as the officers' rewards were by no means
inconsiderable this method might fully indemnify the smuggler against
any loss.

Just before Christmas of 1819 the Custom officers at Weymouth seized
on board a vessel named _The Three Brothers_ sixteen half-ankers and
seven small kegs or flaggons of foreign spirits. These were found to
be concealed under a platform of about nine feet in length fitted on
either side of the keelson, and of sufficient height for one cask. Its
breadth was such as to allow of two casks and a flaggon. When full
this secret hiding-place would contain about thirty casks in all. The
whole concealment was covered with stone and iron ballast. The
platform was fitted with false bulkheads and filled up with large
stones so as to avoid suspicion, the entrance to which was made (after
removal of the ballast) from the bottom of the forecastle through two
bulkheads about two feet apart.

Another instance was that of a consignment of four cases which had
come over from France. These cases contained plaster figures and
appeared to be hollow. However, the Custom officers had their
suspicions and decided to perforate the plaster at the bottom with an
auger. After making still larger holes there were extracted from
inside the following amazing list of articles:--Two clock movements,
six pieces of bronze, thirty-two pieces of porcelain, and two small
paintings.

A certain other French craft was boarded by the Revenue officers who,
on measuring her range of deck and also under it including the
bulkheads, found a greater difference than the rake would fairly
account for. They were naturally highly suspicious and proceeded to
take down part of the bulkhead aft, when they discovered that this
bulkhead was not single but double, being between the cabin and the
hold. This bulkhead was made of solid oak planking and was 2 feet 10
inches thick. It was securely nailed, and the cavity thus made
exte