A historical essay on the Dublin banker Richard McGwire and Liverpool merchant Josiah Poole, who farmed the Isle of Man customs from 1720 and became major operators in the contraband trade. Covers their customs lease, smuggling operations in tobacco, spirits, wine, and East India goods, disputes with Crown officers, and McGwire's death in 1727. Directly relevant to understanding the commercial interests and illicit trade networks that preceded the 1765 Revestment.