Concern about Dutch Smuggling

    890. To Lord Hillsborough, 25 August 1771

    891. To [Sir Francis Bernard], 27 August 1771

    892. To William Palmer, 31 August–6 September 1771

    893. To Lord Hillsborough, 9 September 1771

    894. To Lord Hillsborough, 10 September 1771

    Even throughout the controversy over the nonimportation agreement, Hutchinson continued to participate in the tea trade as a silent partner with his two sons, Thomas Jr. and Elisha. Thus, his attention naturally focused on this most lucrative branch of the illicit trade of the colonies with Holland. The reluctance of the commissioners of customs to make seizures in the face of mounting opposition prompted him to advocate that naval officers be given a share of the proceeds of the condemned goods in the hope they might choke off smuggling. Nevertheless, Hutchinson realized that the only effective solution to the problem of smuggled tea would be to reduce duties so that the price of tea sold in England would be much nearer to that in Holland.

    890. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston 25 August 1771

    Private

    My Lord, Mr Henry Barnes, who lately arrived from England has requested me to cover a letter from him to your Lordship1 and to make a representative of his services and sufferings in the cause of government. He has not acquainted me with the contents of his letter. He certainly has suffered greatly by his refusing to comply with the scheme of non-importation and by his endeavours to support the authority of the Magistrate; but in his sollicitations for a compensation he discovers more impatience than I could wish, which I am willing to attribute to a mind chafed by the troubles he has met with, and impressed with a strong sense of his merit, which he supposes to exceed that of many others who have received the favours of government. He complains that I neglected him in not particularly recommending his case to your Lordship when he went to England although he did not ask it of me yet concluded that I had done it in the course of my public correspondence as Governour of the Province. I transmitted an account of the incendiary letters sent him, and I would have been more particular if he had desired it of me. For his general character, which is very good I thought he depended on Sir Francis Barnard who I knew held him in esteem and to whom he was more particularly known than he was to me. If there was any thing in the Province in my disposal worth his acceptance I would give it to him but there is not.

    Permit me, My Lord, to take this opportunity of making my grateful acknowledgments to your Lordship for His Majesty’s Warrant to the Commissioners of the Customs for the Payment of my Salary. The Fund upon which this Warrant is charged would rise to a very large sum if the illicit trade with Holland could be prevented. The consumption of Tea in America exceeds what any body in England imagines. Some persons capable of Judging suppose 5/6th of what has been consumed the two last years has been illegally imported and in Philadelphia & New York it is judged nine tenths. In my Letter to your Lordship of the 14th Instant I expressed my hopes that a vigorous pursuit of the illicit traders by the Cruizers would discourage the Trade but I am informed they make such an extravagant profit that it will require more frequent seizures to discourage it than we have any reason to hope for. If the India Company had continued the sale of their Teas at 2/ 2d to 2/ 4d as they sold two years ago the Dutch trade would have been over by this time. But now that Teas are at 3/ & upwards in England the illicit Traders can afford to lose one Chest in three, whereas I am very sure not one in a 100 has been seized.

    The Custom house Officers on shore have strong inducements to do their duty but they are really afraid of the rage of the people. The Sea Officers have of late been more active than formerly and Admiral Montague appears disposed to keep out his cruizers. I cannot help mentioning to your Lordship that when I have sworn some of the Navy Officers in order to qualify them for their Custom House Commissions they have discovered a disinclination to make themselves odious to the Inhabitants and perhaps expose themselves to prosecution in the American Courts where they supposed they sould have little chance with a Jury.2

    I doubt notwithstanding whether this Trade will ever be discouraged especially in New York and Philadelphia in any other way than by reducing the price of Teas in England much nearer to the present in Holland than they are at present. For want of this the Revenue, by a moderate computation has lost the last & present year at least sixty thousand pounds sterling, from the 3d. duty only besides what it would have left in England over & above the drawback.

    Your Lordship has encouraged me when any thing occurs for His Majesty’s Service tho out of my immediate department to suggest it. I believe the cruizing Vessels are capable of doing more towards suppressing the illicit trade than the Officers ashore. They should therefore be excited to their duty by a reward in proportion to their activity. The Commanding Officer of the Squadron may very well retain the same share of the seizure which he is now entitled to because the direction of the whole depends upon him but it seems that a greater proportion is necessary for the Particular Officer who makes the seizure under a Comission from the Customs, than what he is now intitled to. If the Officers on shoar were not intitled to 1/3 or a large proportion we should have no seizures made on shore, and I believe remissness of the Sea Officers is very much owing to the small share which he who makes the seizure is intitled to, which might be 1/3d of the whole with as much reason as to the officer on shore. I rather suggest this to your Lordship because I have discovered when I have sworn some of the Navy Officers to qualify them for the Commissions from the Customs a great indifference & a disinclination to make themselves obnoxious to the people without any great advantage to themselves. I have the honour to be and respectful your Lordships most faithful & most obedient humble servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:218–20); at foot of letter, “Right Honble. the Earl of Hillsborough.” SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/246, ff. 16–17); docketed, “1771. Boston 25th Augt. Govr. Hutchinson. Rx. 29th. October.” Contemporary printing: Boston Gazette, 27 November 1775.

    891. To [Sir Francis Bernard]

    Boston 27. Aug. 1771

    Dear Sir, I am now to thank you for your Letters of 25 & 31 May by Jarvis.1 I need say no more about the Eastern Country. What passed between me & the House & Council the last Session has appeard in print & must be convincing that if nothing be done in Engd to prevent it that whole Country will be taken possession of in a short time. I will send to My Lord Hillsboro a Letter which I lately received from Goldthwait.2

    I am obliged to you for your care about the articles from Mr Tutte & will give particular directions to Mr Palmer to whom you have wrote upon the Subject.3

    I never had a thought of consenting to the Grants to the Agents. I dont love to promise too much & made a kind of reserve in what I wrote upon the subject least some unforseen event might cause that to be the least of two evils.4

    I knew the fact you mention & I could not think any man who held a post by favour of Government could justify it but I never knew that the King or his Ministers had shewn any disapprobation on the contrary some have thought it a refined policy to advise to a measure which he knew to be impracticable & that Administration was satisfied of his intention in it. I am much obliged to you for what you have communicated to me & you are certainly right that its enough for a Governour to know the King’s Pleasure in many cases where it may not be advisable to give him particular Instructions. I have not communicated your letter to any person & I shall keep the paragraph I refer to an intire secret.5

    I have not time to add before these Vessels sail except that I am most sincerely Dear Sir Your faithful humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:221).

    892. To William Palmer

    Boston 31. Aug. 1771

    Sir, I find by your favour of 14 June and what you wrote my Sons of the 22nd that the discouraging Accounts from hence had determined you to dispose of what Tea you had purchsed as soon as the [Brig is settled?] I wish my Letter of the 11th July arrived in time to prevent it.1 If not and you shall have [shipd?] I am of opinion it would be best to push more [illegible] so as to continue shipping by Every good Vessel. I think Teas cannot keep long at so high a price in England. I have touched on the Subject to Lord Hillsborough.2 Copy of a p[hole in MS] of my Letter I will annex which you will [hole in MS] yourself.

    The several Articles you have shipped are received. I am obliged to you for their care. The Commission Governor Bernard writes me he leaves to your direction. Instead of the plate for which Mr Tutté offers to pay you 60£ I think it best you should take the money which I can consider how to dispose of, but the Book & also the Chapel furniture I chuse in specie as I intend to make a present of them to the Chapel in Boston where they are wanted. The Pictures I must confide in you to forward to me if they are not already sent.3

    The Commission which you suppose to be for Comander in chief was for Vice Admiral and seems to be kept up more for the sake of form and fret than from necessity all the powers which can be of use being contained in the general Comission for Governor. I am glad however that it has been sent as the omission would have been construed a slight by the Enemies of Government here who although every day decreasing yet are still very numerous.

    If you can suggest any thing in my publick correspondence with the Ministry I may [hole in MS] make to subserve the concern in which you are engaged or to your particular Interest you may confide in me and mention it without [hole in MS]. I am Sir &c.,

    Sep. 6.

    Upon further consideration I desire you not to take the 60£. I find two Churches in the Country are without any plate and I intend to take it in Specie as soon as I am able to advise you how to divide it.4

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 25:485–86).

    893. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston 9 Sept. 1771

    (No. 11)

    Davis

    My Lord, I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordships letters No 9 & 10 by the July Packet.1 I thank your Lordship for signifying to me so particularly His Majestys pleasure upon the three Bills to which I declined giving my consent. I shall carefully conform to it when I meet the Assembly again, which I shall keep upon prorogations until I receive an Answer to my Letter to your Lordship No 8.2

    The Informality of the Warrant for Richardson’s Pardon will keep him in Prison some months yet to come,3 but I hope he will finally be discharged. The difficulty is not so much from the omission of the name of the Boy, which the Judges regularly should have inserted in their Certificate, as from the Instrument’s being considered by them rather as something preparatory to a pardon than the Pardon it self, and they seem to be of opinion that, as they cannot be possessed of the Original Pardon which must remain with the Recorder of London, they might be justified in admitting an authenticated copy of it to be given in evidence. I mentioned this to Mr Pownal in a private letter some time ago and desired that in compassion to the poor Wretch he would procure such a copy. I the rather wish it may be judged sufficient because the expence & trouble of a pardon under the Great Seal would sometimes discourage an application where there is a proper Object. Pardons in all Capital Cases except Treason and Murder issue in the King’s name under the Great Seal of the Province with the Governor’s Test. Would there, My Lord, be any inconvenience if, when any person guilty of Treason or murder shall be deemed by the King a proper Object of Mercy, the Governor of the Colony should be directed by Warrant under His Majesty’s Sign Manual to issue a Pardon in like form as in other Capital cases?

    Mr. Scammell to whom your Lordship’s Letter No 10 refers was with me the beginning of June and went from hence soon after to Portsmouth in New Hampshire and he assured me that, without delay, he would go into the Eastern part of this Province.4 I directed the Commanding Officer at Fort Pownall to procure Indians acquainted with the Country and one or more of the Garrison, if necessary, to serve as Guides, and to afford him all other needful Assistance.5 I have not been able to obtain any Intelligence of Mr Scammell since that time but suppose he must be in the execution of his Commission.

    Upon complaint made by sundry persons of the doings6 of a Justice of the Peace who had been appointed there I commissioned three Gentlemen of the Council to make inquiry into the affair and report to me. I chose this method for the sake of their convening the Inhabitants upon the spot and letting them know that I was determined to support the Civil Magistrate in the execution of Law. I had no doubt that their Complaint was groundless. I directed, at the same time, an inquiry into the state of the Settlements there. The Gentlemen are returned and I am expecting a report from them.7 If it shall be made before the Ship sails, by which I intend this Letter, I will inclose it. From the general view they have taken and the Information they have received of the state of the Seacoast from Kenebeck to St Croix they are convinced that it is all taken possession of by private persons and all East of Penobscot by those who have no colour of Title unless the Grant of the General Court which is a meer nullity can give a colour. All the Islands, of any value are in the same state.8 I am with great respect My Lord Your Lordship’s most humble & most obedient Servant,

    RC (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 277–78); at foot of letter, “Rt. Honble. the Earl of Hillsborough”; docketed, “Boston 9th. Septr. 1771. Govr. Hutchinson. (No: 11) Rx 29th: Octr. D——17.” AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:224–25); at head of letter, “Davis”; at foot of letter, “Rt Hble Ld Hillsborough.” SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/768, ff. 213–16); docketed, “Govr. Hutchinson. Boston, 9 Sept.1771. (No. 11.) Rx 29th Octr.”; at foot of letter, “Inclosure. Report of a Committee of the Council upon the Lands & Coast near Mount Desert Island in Penobscot Bay.” Enclosure to RC: Report from the Committee on Eastern Lands, 12 September 1771 (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 279–82).

    894. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston 10 Sep 1771

    Private

    Davis

    My Lord, Your Lordship does me great honour by your private Letter of 31 May which I did not receive until after I had closed my last Letter to your Lordship of the 25 Aug.1 Having made the illicit Trade with Holland the principal subject of that Letter I beg leave now to submit to your consideration an Estimate of the consumption of Bohea Tea in America. From the best accounts I can obtain from the Dealers in Tea in the two Towns of Bost. & Charles. consume a Chest or about 340 pounds in a day one day with another. These two towns are not more than 1/8 perhaps not more than 1/10 part of the Province. Suppose they consume only 300 Chests in a year & allow that they are 1/8 it will make 2400 Chests for the whole Province. This is much short for in the Country towns there is more Tea drank in proportion than in Boston. This Province is not 1/8 part of the Colonies & in other Governments expecially NYork they consume Tea in much greater proportion than in this Province. If it be 1/8 the whole Continent consumes 19200 Chests which at four pounds per chest amounts to £76800—Sterling, but as my computation is short in every part. I think if all which is used paid the duty it would rise to 100,000£.

    In New York they import none but Holland Tea. In Rhode Island it is little better & in this Province the Dutch Traders are increasing & since my last Letter I had information of twenty odd chests lately landed in which a person is concerned who I could not have thought capable of countenancing perjury or fraud & I cannot help repeating it to your Lordship that unless the EIndia Company bring the price of their Teas so near to the price in Holland as to make the profit of importing Teas from thence not equal to the risk in a short time there will be scarce any Tea imported from England. Upon intimating to the acting Collector at Falmouth in Casco Bay that I was informed the Acts of Trade were broke every day in his District he acknowledged it to be true but added that the Officer on shore had it not in their power to prevent it & he suggested that the only way was to increase the number of small Scooners & to keep one or more constantly cruizing in that Bay rigged & filled to appearance like fishing Scooners. This he said would be no additional expence to the Crown except the first cost of the Scooners which need not exceed 300£ Sterling each as they might have men & stores from the Ships.2 One Officer with a Commission from the Custom to each & he to have the Command & to be intitled to all but the Kings half of the forfeiture would have such a chance of making a small Fortune that it would stimulate him to his duty and there does not seem the same reason for sharing any part among the crew or the other Officers as in case of prizes taken in War because in that case all their lives are exposed whereas there is no danger of resistance being made to an armed Vessel as all our Smugglers are themselves unarmed & depend entirely upon concealment.

    There may be inconveniences in this which I do not foresee but as I have no Interest in the seizures made by the Sea Officers I hope Your Lordship will pardon the Suggestion & attribute it to my sincere desire to promote His Majesty’s Service whenever there is the least room to hope for success. I am with the greatest Respect My Lord your most obliged & most faithful servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:225–27). SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/246, ff. 17–18); docketed, “Boston 10th. Sepr. 1771. Govr. Hutchinson. Rx 29th: October.” Contemporary printing: Boston Gazette, 27 November 1775. The editors of the Boston Gazette added the following note: “The reader should know that Mr. Hutchinson was concerned with Mr. Palmer of London in the sale of English teas, and often complains in his letters to him, of the low price at which his sons were obliged to sell, by reason of the quantities of Dutch teas that were smuggled in. The teas were smuggled in chiefly by those who insolently assumed to themselves the title of the friends to government; and the knowing ones can tell, who, among the counsellors appointed by the king’s mandamus, procured a great part of their riches by smuggling.”