Catalogue description 2 reports of 'WR. JH. AH. [and] GW.', Commissioners at Customs House, on 2 collective...

2 reports of 'WR. JH. AH. [and] GW.', Commissioners at Customs House, on 2 collective petition (the prisoner's and 14 tradesmen and officials of Plymouth, Devon, [for Govett] and 22 people, tradesmen and officials of Plymouth [for White]) on behalf of Elias Govett, clerk to Messrs William Symons, and Anthony White, grocer and interpreter to the Portuguese Emigrants, prosecuted by Mr Hobhouse of the Solicitor to the Board of Customs for shipping cotton machinery to abroad. Grounds for clemency: were ignorant of the contents of the packing case, no interest or collusion with the Portuguese immigrant, the judge would have preferred to pass a lesser sentence, White is a poor man, with a wife and child to support, Govett has a mother and sister to support, have suffered 2 months imprisonment, wish to pay the fine if the remainder of the sentence is suspended. The first report is dated 31 May 1809 at the instruction of Mr Harrison. The commissioners have received private information that ------ Lima, a Portuguese refugee, was about to ship a cotton machine to Brazil contrary to the act 21 Geo 3 Cap 37, the officials tried to apprehend him but he escaped. During the course of proceedings it appeared that Govett, Clerk to Symons & Co of Plymouth and Anthony White, tradesman, were implicated by having shares in this shipment. 'The defendants traverse the Indictment & it stands for Trial at the next Devonshire Assizes'. There have been other irregularities in Govett's dealing with customs officials [detailed]. Recommendation: no mercy. The second report dated 20th October 1809 stating the prisoners were convicted at the 'last' Devon assizes of being instrumental in shipping a cotton machine. Initial sentence: £200 fine and 12 months imprisonment, this being the only punishment open to the judge under the statute. With respect to White, Baron Graham would have passed a milder sentence and both the parties bore good characters. Recommendation: nothing to add. Folios 407-416.

See also HO 47/41/1 , folios 1-2.