# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260219_140830.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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Hon^ble Sirs
Hon. Sirs

We receiv'd your Honours Order of
the 8^th ult^o. Acquainting Us that your Honours
have under consideration the State of the
Smugling Trade carried on between the Isle
of Man and Great Britain and directed Us
to make a Strict enquiry into that Trade, and
to endeavour to procure as exact Acco. as ---
possible of the several kinds of Goods imported
into the said Island, and of the Duties payable
to the proprietor for the same.

We humbly inform your Honours
that as we Live so remote from the Coast
and have no immediate intercourse with
the Isle of Man We cannot give your Honours
any other Information than what We
apprehend has already been given your
Honours by M^r. Lutwidge Surveyor General,
the Collector & Compt^r. of Whitehaven & Liverpoole
as to the Duties paid to the proprietor for the
several kinds of Goods Imported into the
said Island.

But with all due Submission we
beg leave to inform your Honours, that the
Smugling Trade in the Borders of Scotland
is still carried on by Boats from the Isle
of Man, to a very Notorious degree, a great
part of which Goods are run into England,
over the fords at Low Water, and escorted
by large Gangs of armed Smuglers, which

the