Chapter I: Preface

_OPINIONS have ever been divided on the question of the morality_, _or the immorality_, _of smuggling_. _This is not_, _in itself_, _remarkable_, _since that subject on which all men think alike has not yet been discovered_; _but whatever the views held upon the question of the rights and wrongs of the_ “_free-traders_’” _craft_, _they have long since died down into abstract academic discussion_. _Smuggling is_, _indeed_, _not dead_, _but it is not the potent factor it once was_, _and to what extent Governments are justified in taxing or restricting in any way the export or the import of goods will not again become a living question in this country until the impending Tariff Reform becomes law_. _There have been those who_, _reading the proofs of this book_, _have variously found in it arguments for_, _and others arguments against_, _Protection_; _but_, _as a sheer matter of fact_, _there are in these pages no studied arguments either way_, _and facts are here presented just as they are retrieved from half-forgotten records_, _with no other ulterior object than that of entertainment_. _But if these pages also serve to show with what little wisdom __we are_, _and generally have been_, _governed_, _they may not be without their uses_. _England_, _it may surely be gathered_, _here and elsewhere_, _is what she is by sheer force of dogged middle-class character_, _and in spite of her statesmen and lawgivers_.

_CHARLES G. HARPER_

_PETERSHAM_, _SURREY_,
_July_ 1909.

CONTENTS

PAGE INTRODUCTORY 1 CHAPTER I THE “OWLERS” OF ROMNEY MARSH, AND THE ANCIENT EXPORT 12 SMUGGLING OF WOOL CHAPTER II GROWTH OF TEA AND TOBACCO SMUGGLING IN THE EIGHTEENTH 24 CENTURY—REPRESSIVE LAWS A FAILURE CHAPTER III TERRORISING BANDS OF SMUGGLERS—THE HAWKHURST GANG—ORGANISED 39 ATTACK ON GOUDHURST—“THE SMUGGLERS’ SONG” CHAPTER IV THE “MURDERS BY SMUGGLERS” IN HAMPSHIRE 47 CHAPTER V THE “MURDERS BY SMUGGLERS” _continued_—TRIAL AND EXECUTION 60 OF THE MURDERERS—FURTHER CRIMES BY THE HAWKHURST GANG CHAPTER VI OUTRAGE AT HASTINGS BY THE RUXLEY GANG—BATTLE ON THE 78 WHITSTABLE-CANTERBURY ROAD—CHURCH-TOWERS AS SMUGGLERS’ CELLARS—THE DRUMMER OF HERSTMONCEUX—EPITAPH AT TANDRIDGE—DEPLORABLE AFFAIR AT HASTINGS—THE INCIDENT OF “THE FOUR BROTHERS” CHAPTER VII FATAL AFFRAYS AND DARING ENCOUNTERS AT RYE, DYMCHURCH, 94 EASTBOURNE, BO-PEEP, AND FAIRLIGHT—THE SMUGGLERS’ ROUTE FROM SHOREHAM AND WORTHING INTO SURREY—THE MILLER’S TOMB—LANGSTON HARBOUR—BEDHAMPTON MILL CHAPTER VIII EAST COAST SMUGGLING—OUTRAGE AT BECCLES—A COLCHESTER 111 RAID—CANVEY ISLAND—BRADWELL QUAY—THE EAST ANGLIAN “CART GAPS”—A BLAKENEY STORY—TRAGICAL EPITAPH AT HUSTANTON—THE PEDDAR’S WAY CHAPTER IX THE DORSET AND DEVON COASTS—EPITAPHS AT KINSON AND WYKE—THE 119 “WILTSHIRE MOON-RAKERS”—EPITAPH AT BRANSCOMBE—THE WARREN AND “MOUNT PLEASANT” INN CHAPTER X CORNWALL IN SMUGGLING STORY—CRUEL COPPINGER—HAWKER’S 129 SKETCH—THE FOWEY SMUGGLERS—TOM POTTER, OF POLPERRO—THE DEVILS OF TALLAND—SMUGGLERS’ EPITAPHS—CAVE AT WENDRON—ST. IVES CHAPTER XI TESTIMONY TO THE QUALITIES OF THE SEAFARING SMUGGLERS—ADAM 151 SMITH ON SMUGGLING—A CLERICAL COUNTERBLAST—BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SMUGGLERS—ROBERT JOHNSON, HARRY PAULET—WILLIAM GIBSON, A CONVERTED SMUGGLER CHAPTER XII THE CARTER FAMILY, OF PRUSSIA COVE 165 CHAPTER XIII JACK RATTENBURY 183 CHAPTER XIV THE WHISKY SMUGGLERS 201 CHAPTER XV SOME SMUGGLERS’ TRICKS AND EVASIONS—MODERN 228 TOBACCO-SMUGGLING—SILKS AND LACE—A DOG DETECTIVE—LEGHORN HATS—FOREIGN WATCHES