manuscripts of this early Preventive system, the chronological order would seem to be as follows:  The first mention of any kind of marine service that I can trace is found in a manuscript of 1674, which shows the establishment of the Custom House organisation in that year for England and Wales.  From this it is clear that there had been made a beginning of that system which was later to develop into that of the Revenue cutters.  And when we recollect how extremely interested was Charles ii. in everything pertaining to the sea and to sloop-rigged craft especially, it seems very natural to believe that this monarch inspired, or at any rate very considerably encouraged, the formation of a small fleet of Custom House sailing craft.  Elsewhere I have discussed this matter at length, therefore it may suffice if attention is called to the fact that to Charles was due the first yacht into England, presented to him by the Dutch; while from his encouragement were born the sport of yachting and the building of English yachts.  He was very much concerned in the rig of sloops, and loved to sail in such craft, and his yacht was also most probably the first vessel of that rig which had ever been employed by English sailors.  Further still, he was something of a naval architect, the founder of the Greenwich Royal Observatory and the Nautical Almanac, and under his rule a fresh impulse was given to navigation and shipbuilding generally.

At any rate by the year 1674 there were among the smaller sailing craft of England a number of sloops and smacks employed doubtless for fishing and coasting work.  As a kind of marine police, the Custom House authorities determined to hire some of these to keep a watch on the “owlers,” as the wool-smugglers were termed, so called, no doubt, because they had to pursue their calling always by night.  Whatever efforts had been adopted prior to his reign probably had consisted for the most part, if not entirely, of a land police.  But under this second Charles the very sensible and obvious idea of utilising a number of sailing craft was started.  In the above Ms. volume the first reference is to “Peter Knight, Master of ye smack for ye wages of him self and five men and boy, and to bear all charges except wear and tear ...  L59.”  “For extraordinary wear and tear,” he was to be paid L59.  His vessel was the Margate smack.  In the same volume there is also a reference to the “Graves End smack,” and to “Thomas Symonds for wages and dyett [diet] for himself, master and six men ...  L56, 5s. 0d.”  And for the “wear and tear to be disposed as ye Commrs. direct ...  L14, 15s. 0d.”  There was yet a third vessel stationed a few miles away, the “Quinborrough smack,” and a reference to “Nicholas Badcock for hire of ye smack, two men, and to bear all charges ...  L23.”  These vessels were not known as Revenue cutters at this time, but as Custom House smacks.  They were hired by the Commissioners of the Customs from private individuals to prevent the owlers from smuggling the wool from Kent, Essex, and Sussex.  But it would seem that these smacks, even if they modified a little the activities of the owlers, did not succeed in bringing about many convictions.  Romney Marsh still sent its contribution across to France and Holland, much as it had done for generations.