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قراءة كتاب The Smugglers Picturesque Chapters in the Story of an Ancient Craft
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The Smugglers Picturesque Chapters in the Story of an Ancient Craft
THE SMUGGLERS
PICTURESQUE CHAPTERS IN THE
STORY OF AN ANCIENT CRAFT
BY
CHARLES G. HARPER
“Smuggler.—A wretch who, in defiance of
the laws, imports or exports goods without
payment of the customs.”—Dr. Johnson
ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL HARDY, BY THE AUTHOR
AND FROM OLD PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
London: CHAPMAN & HALL, Ltd.
1909
PRINTED AND BOUND BY
HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,
LONDON AND AYLESBURY.
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
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Introductory |
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CHAPTER I |
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The “Owlers” of Romney Marsh, and the Ancient Export Smuggling of Wool |
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CHAPTER II |
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Growth of Tea and Tobacco Smuggling in the Eighteenth Century—Repressive Laws a Failure |
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CHAPTER III |
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Terrorising Bands of Smugglers—The Hawkhurst Gang—Organised Attack on Goudhurst—“The Smugglers’ Song” |
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CHAPTER IV |
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The “Murders by Smugglers” in Hampshire |
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The “Murders by Smugglers” continued—Trial and Execution of the Murderers—Further Crimes by the Hawkhurst Gang |
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CHAPTER VI |
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Outrage at Hastings by the Ruxley Gang—Battle on the 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” |
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CHAPTER VII |
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Fatal Affrays and Daring Encounters at Rye, Dymchurch, Eastbourne, Bo-Peep, and Fairlight—The Smugglers’ Route from Shoreham and Worthing into Surrey—The Miller’s Tomb—Langston Harbour—Bedhampton Mill |
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CHAPTER VIII |
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East Coast Smuggling—Outrage at Beccles—a Colchester Raid—Canvey Island—Bradwell Quay—The East Anglian “Cart Gaps”—A Blakeney | |