The next modification came in 1856, when it was resolved to transfer the control of the Coastguard to the Admiralty; for in spite of the great change which had been brought about in 1831, all the Coastguard officers and men while being appointed by the Admiralty, were none the less controlled by the Customs.  However, this condition was now altered, but in the teeth of opposition on the part of the Customs, who represented to the Treasury that considerable inconvenience would result from this innovation.  But on the 1st of October 1856, the control of the Coastguard was transferred to the Admiralty, as it had been foreshadowed.  And with that we see practically the last stage in the important development which had been going on for some years past.  It was practically the finale of the tendency towards making the service naval rather than civil.

For the moment, I am seeking to put the reader in possession of a general idea of the administrative features of the service, which is our subject, during the period between 1822-1856.  At the last-mentioned date our period devoted to cutters and smugglers practically ends.  But before proceeding to deal with the actual incidents and exciting adventures embraced by this period, it may be convenient just to mention that these changes were followed in 1869, when the services of civilians employed in any capacity in the Coastguard were altogether dispensed with, and since then the general basis of the Coastguard development has been for the better defence of our coasts, so as to be vigilant against any disembarkation by a foreign power, at the same time providing to a certain extent for the manning of the ships of the Royal Navy when required.  Thus, the old organisation, with which the Customs Board was so closely and for so long a time connected, changed its character when its sphere became national rather than particular.  Its duty henceforth was primarily for the protection of the country than for the prevention of smuggling.  But between 1822—­when the Admiralty yielded up their responsibilities to the Customs Board—­and the year 1856, when again the control was returned to the Admiralty, no material alterations were made in the methods of preventing smuggling, the most important event during that period—­apart altogether from the actual smuggling incidents—­was the change which had been brought about in 1831.

During the different reigns and centuries in which the smuggling evil had been at work, all sorts of anti-smuggling acts had been passed.  We can well understand that a certain amount of hasty, panic-driven legislation had from time to time been created according to the sudden increase of contraband running.  But all these laws had become so numerous, and their accumulation had made matters so intricate, that the time had come for some process of unravelling, straightening out, and summarising.  The systematising and clarification were affected by the Act of January 5, 1826 (6 Geo.