Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:58:42-1:59:30

Why put colonial customs officers under central government?

Central appointments made customs officers less dependent on governors and strengthened English government influence in colonial ports.

Colonial GovernanceCustoms And ExciseNavigation Acts
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Question

Why put colonial customs officers under central government?

Short answer

Their authority and appointments would depend on central government, giving the government an influential official inside the local commercial community.

Notes

The intended independence was from the colonial governor. Officers appointed by customs authorities in England would owe their position and much of their power to central government. Their ability to arrest people and control activity involving ports and merchants gave them considerable local influence. In this interpretation, those appointments were a means of integrating colonial communities more closely into English government.