The author’s thanks are more especially due to Messrs. A. & C. Black for kind permission to make use of material, the inclusion of which was unavoidable, relating to the history of Dorset ports and havens in particular, previously appearing in somewhat different form in his book “Wessex,” of which they hold the copyright; to W. K. Gill, Esq., for permission to make use of material, collected by him from various ancient sources, contained in his interesting booklet “Sketches of the Past of Poole”; to the proprietors of the Homeland Association Ltd., for a like permission to make use of the substance of matter contained in several of their excellent “literary” guides, more especially relating to Sussex, Devon, and Cornish ports; to Commander the Hon. Henry N. Shore, R.N., the author of that interesting and exhaustive volume “Smuggling Days and Smuggling Ways” for valuable help and information; and to a number of friends and others for information willingly afforded on the occasion of our visiting the various places described. Amongst other books which have been consulted for details regarding ancient historical events of a local character and customs may be mentioned those of the Rev. John Prince, of Berry Pomeroy, Devon; Jonathan Couch’s “History of Polperro”; Mr Arthur H. Norway’s “History of the Post Office Packet Service between 1793 and 1815”; Mudie’s “History of Hampshire”; “The Illustrated History of Portsmouth”; “The History of the Civil War in Hampshire”; J. D. Parry’s “Coasts of Sussex” (1833); Mr Montagu Burrows’s “Cinque Ports”; “The Complete History of Cornwall”; and many smaller pamphlets published from 1700 to 1845. Use has also been made of the old files of “The Hampshire Independent,” “The Dorset County Chronicle” and other local newspapers, and the Records of various towns. CONTENTS _Chap._ I. The North Foreland, Ramsgate, Deal, Dover, Hythe, and some other Cinque Ports _Page_ 1 II. Newhaven, Shoreham, Littlehampton 40 III. Portsmouth, Ryde, Cowes, Yarmouth 72 IV. Southampton, Beaulieu River, Lymington 112 V. Poole, Swanage, Weymouth, Portland 142 VI. Bridport, Lyme Regis, Axmouth, Sidmouth 173 VII. The Coast to Teignmouth, Torquay, Brixham 190 VIII. Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Plymouth and the Sound 225 IX. St Looe, Polperro, Fowey, Mevagissey, and some Coves 267 X. Falmouth, Gerrans, St Mawes, Penzance 301 ILLUSTRATIONS