CHAPTER IX

REVENUE OFFICERS: ROYAL

THERE WERE REALLY two crown revenue establishments in Mary-
land, one temporary, existing only under crown administration,
and the other permanent, set up in 1673 and developing thereafter
until the Revolution.

The former establishment consisted of two Receivers, to take
and disburse all funds for support of government, and a Deputy
Auditor to review their accounts. The funds they received arose
in part from the twelve pence per hogshead (1671), collected by
Naval Officers, and from the fines and forfeitures collected by
sheriffs. As under proprietary rule both appertained to Lord Bal-
timore, the Receivers here succeeded, and in 1715 were succeeded
by, His Lordship's Agent and Receiver General. Further, the
Receivers took from the Naval Officers and paid to the Governor
the produce of two duties now levied for his better support, that
is, the three pence per hogshead (1692) and the three pence per
ton (1694). These too became proprietary revenues, and were
received by His Lordship's Agent, after 1715.

The latter crown establishment, comprising Collectors, Sur-
veyors, and Comptrollers of customs, enforced the English
navigation laws and collected the " plantation duty " levied by
Parliament in 1673. ¹

1. THE TEMPORARY ESTABLISHMENT, 1692-1715.

On January 8, 1691/2, at the inception of royal government,
William and Mary appointed Colonel George Plater to be Re-
ceiver of Patuxent District and Colonel Nehemiah Blakiston to
be Receiver of North Potomac and Pocomoke. ² These units were

¹ This duty, enacted by 25 Charles H, c. 7 (1673), amounted to one penny a
pound on tobacco exported to other colonies. Customs officers also collected those
import duties levied by Parliament in 1733 (6 George II, c. 13), 1763 (4 George
III, c. 15), and 1767 (7 George III, c. 46, partly repealed in 1770 by 10 George
HI, c. 17).

² Archives, XXIII, 192. Blakiston's commission does not appear, but he was
evidently appointed at the same time (cf. Calendar of Treasury Books, X, part 3,
1186, 1191). On Aug. 16, 1692, Gov. Lionel Copley had appointed Thomas

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