The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-09-27
EGLING in ENGLAND.
rrous scHEMDs FOR EvAD
ING CUSTOMS LAWS

,,uttv of the Practice-Fcmale
Observation-Disclosures or Con
ceaIing Tobacco and Spirits.
;ncc the DAYS of Ethelred, when Gus.
duties were first levied, every con-
[able device has been practiced in
cr 10 avoid payment of those duties,
undoubtedly so long as duties are
,oscd attempts will bc made to de.
"a the revenue. Toward the close of
century smuggling was very rife, and
Dv a valuable cargo of contraband
kds was successfully 'run" and dis
ed of. realizing a handsome profit for
contrabandist. At that time, how
lar larger number of articles were
Ell than at the present day lin fact, a
,dred wears ago no fewer than 425
cles were liable to duty). and this, of
rse. greatly increased the temptation
smuggle. Nowadays smuggling is
lost exclusively confined to small
ntities concealed on board our steam.
ps. but even in efIecting these con.
inents the smuggler exercises great
ming. aud does his utmost to outwit
customs ''rummager."
bout a century ago it was no uncom.
h thing to find vessel fitted with
c bows or stern, hollow keel, or
h the spare masts, spars and oars
6ch she carried made Of tin, but
nted to resemble wood, the cavities
bp utilized for the concealment of
liable articles. Logs of timber were
followed out and employed for
liar purpose. Many n cask of spirits
been towed under the bottom of a
bel, a fear existing that revenue
User might board the smuggler and
royer the casks were they carried in
hold. When it was necessary to get
bm ashore they were weighted and kept
ier water, mark being set as to their
Sereabouts SO that they conld be taken
BY at favorable opportunity. An
Der ingenious artitice, practiced on the
ID coast, was TO cover casks Of spirits
HI a kind of cement, and attach some
Tweed thereto, which gave them the
bearauce of rocks, aud then cast them
1.-The boal lders ashore, frcm whence they
be ultimately removed. Ships car
bters have been known to smuggle
rits and tobccco in what passed Tor
is Of pitch, and a presumably studi.
individual, who frequently left his
Ssel with book under his arm. car
d in it tin case containing spirits in
ler to avoid payment of duty.
Tobacco appears to generally have
fn the favorite object of the smugglcr,
y he still devotes his close attention
its importation. 1t has been fire.
Dently made up in ships tenders or into
tdagc of all shapes and sizes, and
pught ashore as such, while the wheels
some of the blocks in the running
pr have been found to be made of
Sendish tobacco instead of iron. 1t
been introduced into casks of pitch
lse bottoms have been added to dog
pnels, hencoops, drawers, chests, ETC.,
brder to make these innocent looking
|cles the receptac.es Of contraband
Rds Tin cases, containing tobacco
cigars, have often been discovered
he water tanks and in casks of spirits
oil carried by vessels. Wooden
HtCio ilE ONCi "a S'iC uus u
&n followed out and the cavity filed
|th tobacco. Bladders containing spirits
Iye been secretcd abont the body, and
Dacco and cigars haze been brought
)Ore in like manner.
female SIN gglers had petticoats spe-
ly prepared Tor the introduction of
scco, cigars and spirits, the former
pig concealed in small pockets adapted
he purpose. When duties were levied
|silks and laces, large quantities of
se goods were imported without the
Enhance OF the customs authorities.
esc were the favoritc articles of the
pale contrabandists; and by them
Iny package of costly silk and lace
been brought into the country.
esSels from France have been found
emptlng to import lace made up in
fes in the shape of apples and so
nted as to pass for fruit. Silks and
were also frequently found in loaves
bread, and tobacco, on many occasions,
found its way into the same place of
cealment, in fact, IA large quantity so
ccaled was recently seized at Hull.
ben foreign watches were subjected to
~ many "A gentlcman's great coat has
for once ",ilvcr lining" the
hggler attempting, by its assistance.
elude the vigilance OF the cdstoms
cials. Snuff has been made into
|es and imported as oilcake. col-
rablc quantity being landed before
fraud was discovered
pn the abolition of the duties on Goals
by Of the colliers on the coast were
Jagged in the Illicit trade. The modus
randi of these vessels was TO obtain II
cargo ut one of the coal portS. and
selucntly, at point previously
ped upon, load quantity of tobacco
spirits from smugglcr Some of
&c ves'els succeeded in making very
.itable voyages in this manner.
I'm ingcn ous mode OF conccalment
disclosed in lSSl and large seizure
contraband goods was the result.
pm 'informatlon received" the Gus
hs authorities sent detective TO Rot.
iam, and he there discovered that
lers, evidently made for the purpo,e
quite unfit for anything else, we're
ng made the means sofimporiing large
Rntlties OF tobacco into this country.
he time after arriving in England the
ers and smugglers were seized aud
4 tobacco found on this occasion
ghed five tons.
many cases, too, accomplices have
Pne forward and furnished Information
anticipated runs" but their inior-
|etlon generally proved inaccurate, the