SW1 wrote:HM Coastguard has existed since 1822
Don't know what they did until 1831, when "In 1831 the Coastguard took over the coastal policing, and from 1832-33 a number of violent events occured, culminating with a fight at Pevensey in 1833"
Until then the enforcement type of CG had operated under a different name, and in a mercantilist world it was not about stopping imports (mainly):
"in 1661 the illegal exporting of wool was made punishable by the death sentence, this meant that the smugglers started to arm themselves, and the only way they could be stopped was by the army.
Before 1671 the collection of Customs Duties was generally let out to private individuals. During 1671 Charles II created the the Board of Customs.
The Romney Marshes became the centre of smuggling and the records show that in the 1670's 20,000 packs of wool were sent to Calais annually. The smugglers were now building fast and armed ships to carry out their nocturnal runs.
During the 1680's the Revenue Officers were provided with Customs sloops to enable them to patrol the coasts, and catch the smugglers."
The story does not tell when, after 1831, the above came back and the role of the CG changed to an emergency service.
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)