Part II. Reading and Speaking

Part I

Text 1

Reading and Speaking

Exercise 6. Before reading Text 1 suggest and think of the goods that might be smuggled in the 17^th, 18^th, 19^th centuries.

Exercise 7. Read Part 1 (Text 1) to answer the questions below:

1. What was the concern of the London Custom Officers?

2. What territories did Captain Greenville Collins control?

3. What classes of Custom Officials existed at that time?

4. How were the Custom officials treated by the ordinary people?

The office of a Custom Officers had arisen following the serious concern of the London authorities about the large amounts of taxable tea, tobacco and other dutiable goods that were smuggled into the country. King Charles (1660-1685) was so worried about this activity at the perimeter of his country that he appointed Captain Greenville Collins, R.N. to make a complete survey of the Welsh coast.

There were various classes of Custom officials:

§ “Searchers” supervised officers while enjoyed good salaries in instructing officials in searching for hidden smuggled goods.

§ “Tide waiters” were Custom officers that met ships arriving on the tide and made sure of the safe discharge of the goods to the satisfaction of the Authorities.

§ “Land waiters” were land based officials who made sure that all duties were paid.

§ “Coastal waiters” were responsible for coastal traffic between ports.

§ “Coal Masters” were in charge of collecting the tax on coal as it was moved from port to port.

§ “Riding Officers” were also employed, men who patrolled the coast in the vain effort to catch the criminals.

These officials were extremely unpopular and were treated with much contempt.

An example of this contempt could be seen when Custom officers boarded a suspicious ship anchored at Aberdaron. On arriving on board they were invited to go the captain’s cabin to exercise their duties, but with a hint of being entertained.

Once below, they soon found out that they had been locked in the cabin while the smugglers proceeded to sell their contraband, releasing the unfortunate and most embarrassed officials after completing their sales. All evidence had disappeared before they quietly sailed away.

Exercise 8. Agree or disagree with the following:

1. King Charles appointed Captain Greenville Collins, R.N. to make a complete survey of the Welsh coast.

2. “Tide waiters” were in charge of collecting the tax on coal as it was moved from port to port.

3. Smugglers made the Custom officials furious, frustrated and annoyed.

4. “Coastal waiters” were responsible for patrolling the coast in the vain effort to catch the criminals.

5. Custom officials boarded the ship anchored at London.

Exercise 9. Find corresponding classes of Custom officials. Translate these sentences into English.

Ø..................заведовали взиманием пошлины на провоз угля.

Ø..................осуществляли проверку прибывающих кораблей и контролировали разгрузку товаров.

Ø...................патрулировали (верхом) побережье с целью обнаружения нарушителей.

Ø...................получали хорошее жалованье; инструктировали, как проводить досмотр; осуществляли общий надзор.

Ø...................отвечали за передвижение людей и товаров по береговой линии между портами.

Ø...................несли ответственность за уплату пошлин и налогов.

Exercise 10. Read Part II (Text 1) to answer the questions below:

1. Why were the Custom officials very zealous in their duties?

2. Why was the Custom official suspicious?

3. What did Captain Thomas Samuel smuggle?

4. What was the name of his ship?

The Custom officials as explained were very zealous in their duties and anxious to earn their bonuses but above all, to impress their superiors with their zeal, as came to light in the following affair.

The Custom official at Pwllheli was awaken one night by the sound of a cart moving backwards and forwards over the cobblestones many times during the night outside his house. This activity naturally aroused his curiosity and the following morning during his investigation he found a large amount of coal in a yard belonging to a Captain’s house. The ship called “Peggy” commanded by a Captain Thomas Samuel had docked late the previous night at the port and had unloaded a taxable cargo of coal.

It was always difficult if not impossible to prove whether tax had been previously paid on coal at the previous port. The poor captain was subjected to a prolonged and persistent interrogation. He finally admitted that the coal had been loaded ballast for his voyage home and was liable to tax and of course he had to pay an additional heavy fine.

Smugglers, as stated were severely punished, the ship together with its crew would be immediately arrested and the ship confiscated, together with any horses and carts (телеги) that had been caught in the operation. These goods would then been offered for sale by public auction.

Sometimes the whole situation was however not without its humour and irritation (раздражение). Smugglers were fully aware that the Customs were keeping a close watch on their movements. They would sometimes enjoy causing the maximum irritation to the authorities by playing a game of cat and mouse with them.

They would sail up and down the coast in broad daylight in full sight of their oppressors, but carefully keeping in international waters, where they were safe from prosecution much to the fury, frustration and annoyance (досада) of the Customs.

Note: Pwllheli (Welsh pronunciation: [pʊɬˈhɛlɪ]) is a community and the main market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. The town’s name means saltwater basin. The pronunciation of Pwllheli includes a sound not found in the English language, the voiceless alveolar lateral fricative [ɬ].

Exercise 11. Scan Part II and match left and right.

1) to offer for sale by public auction	a) подвергаться длительному и тщательному допросу
2) to earn bonuses	b) платить большой штраф
3) to keep a close watch on smb’s movements	c) предлагать для продажи на аукционе (публичных торгах)
4) to arouse curiosity	d) плавать под парусом в зоне видимости / в поле зрения (своих) ‘преследователей’
5) to pay a heavy fine	e) быть строго наказанным
6) to be subjected to a prolonged and persistent interrogation	f) вызывать крайнее раздражение
7) to be liable to tax	g) возбудить любопытство
8) to sail in full sight of (their) oppressors	h) зарабатывать вознаграждения (премии)
9) to be severely punished	i) вести наблюдение за передвижением кого/чего-либо
10) to cause the maximum irritation	j) подлежать обложению налогом

Exercise 12. Read Part III to answer the following questions:

1. What was Boaz Pritchard notorious for?

2. Where were brandy casks hidden?

3. Why were the poor inhabitants of Caernarfon frightened?

4. Was Boaz Pritchard caught and imprisoned?

5. Why do you think Boaz Pritchard was a skilful smuggler?

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