Noble Duty

13. Of Duty and Greed

Jenson and I sorted our way through the documents from the bottom drawer of the chart table, examining and discussing the convoluted New York taxes and duties. "I see much conflicting information in this. Countermands and contradictions."

"Aye, sir. Before it was all jumbled by the attack, it had been ordered by issue date - if we could determine it. Arranging it again into sequence will show the steady increase in tariffs that drove your father away."

"So, not only because of Hudson's Bay. And with few ships along the wharves, the increase appears to have driven away many others."

"Aye, our thoughts were that they attempt to balance the decline in trading with increased fees."

I laughed. "Ludicrous. What happens when only one ship remains? There must be a way to put an end to this rapaciousness and -"

I paused at the voice behind me, "Pardon, sir. There is a lad at the door to inform you of men on the wharf asking to see the Captain."

"Thank you, Judith. Likely Mister Betheson and his sons."

A short while later, as Jenson and I arrived at the bulwark gate, a man dressed in gaudily frilled and gilded garb called from the wharf, "We must board to inspect your holds and bills of lading."

"And who are you?"

"The Right Honourable Sir Cedric Bromley, His Majesty's Customs."

Oh, dear Lord, another privileged son too filled with himself. Assuming by his court dress that he was on his way somewhere else when he was notified of our arrival, I pointed toward the accommodation ladder. "Please, excuse our disruption of your schedule. Come aboard, I am Captain Overton."

As the corpulent agent led a younger man up, he asked. "What will you be landing here? What quantities, what values and what origins?"

"We had not planned on landing anything." I pointed at the shrouds and up the masts. "We called here seeking repairs from a pirate attack. The entirety of our cargo is from Jamaica, and it is bound for London."

"What is the nature of the cargo?"

I led him toward the battened and lashed hatch covers. "Mostly hewed mahogany bolts. We also have casks of rum, the property of one of the passengers."

"Highly unusual for a ship not to land anything." Sir Cedric tilted his head toward the man with him. "What provision have we to charge port fees in instances such as this, Simms?"

The younger man shrugged. "None that I am aware of, sir."

"Your duty is to be aware, Simms. Find out."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

The flustered man bowed, and as he hastened toward the gate, Sir Cedric called after him in an angry, elevated voice, "Not now, Simms. When we return to Customs House."

I grimaced and turned to Jenson. "Are you aware of any port fees here, Master?"

He shook his head. "No, sir. I have seen no mention of them in our New York documentation. Besides, I know of no port with the audacity to seek such from ships in distress and wanting only repairs."

Sir Cedric snorted, his jowls shaking. "Not audacious, young man. It is revenue for the Crown. If no provision exists for such a fee, I shall create one."

I nodded. "And add to the long list of reasons my company no longer trades here."

"Your company?"

I swept an arm fore and aft, indicating the ship. "Atlantica is one of seven in my British North America fleet, and two more are nearing completion."

"Oh, you are that Overton."

"Yes, I am." Thinking it fitting to confront his boorish, overbearing attitude, I continued, "Sir Jarvis Overton, the owner. Our company has thrived and expanded since we stopped trading here when New York's steadily increasing duties and taxes made it the least profitable of the colonies. I will use this unscheduled visit to call on Governor Hunter and discuss ways to make our trading here again reasonable."

"Pah! You will waste your time and disturb him unnecessarily. My mandate is directly from the Crown, and the Governor has neither say nor influence in the administration of His Majesty's Customs."

"Then, we will continue trading elsewhere." I nodded toward the three men approaching along the wharf. "I have far more pressing matters to consider at the moment, so I will leave you with Master Jenson, and he can show you the holds and bills of lading if you still think them necessary."

Ignoring the sputtering, I turned my back and strode toward the accommodation ladder to greet the three men. After Uncle Charles had introduced his sons, Charlie and James, he nodded toward Sir Cedric and said, "So, you've met the oaf."

"I have, and not with pleasure."

"Few find pleasure in him. He is responsible for our declining trade and the demise of our shipbuilding industry."

I nodded. "I had thought we stopped trading here with the restoration of Hudson's Bay, but poring through the documents the past short while, I learnt it was because of excessive duties and fees. Has the Governor no control of him?"

"None. The Comptroller of Customs is responsible directly to the Crown. But worse, it is an unpaid appointment without stipend, its only remuneration being a portion of the collected tariffs and fees."

"Oh, dear Lord. A licence for greed. Is there no way to stop him?"

"We thrice petitioned the Crown through the Governor, and our voyage to London five years ago was to seek support through Camille's uncle, the Baron."

"Yet it continues."

"Unfortunately, yes. Sir Cedric is from a more influential family." Charles shrugged. "Besides, the Crown enjoys the steady flow of revenue."

"With the decreasing trade, that revenue must be down."

Charles pursed his lips and shook his head. "No, he slowly increases the levies to balance."

"Rather than decreasing them to encourage trade."

"We tried reasoning with him on that, but he said high volumes of trade require more staff and more of his time to administer."

"But it would allow the colony to prosper."

"He fails to understand this." Charles nodded toward Sir Cedric. "We believe he is touched in the head - and increasingly so. He has now taken to waddling the streets and wharves in comical renditions of court dress."

I nodded. "We have a passenger aboard with a somewhat similar mental affliction and overbearing sense of self-importance. He had been removed from his post in Jamaica and recalled to London. Might we revise your petitions? Augment them with evidence and testimonies from those affected. Possibly a physician's assessment. Gill - Baroness Cavendish can find the best way to present these when we return to London."

"Yes, that seems our only recourse." He tilted his head. "Baroness Cavendish? I thought Charlotte had perished in the attack."

I winced. "Yes, she had. But I refer to Gillian, who has succeeded to the Barony."

"Oh! Her brothers also perished?"

"Yes, previously. One in the war and the other through illness."

Charles pressed his lips together and shook his head. "All the more reason she needs Camille's comfort. She should be along shortly."