Discovering the Forgotten History of Inland Customs Line

The Inland Customs Line has a rich and often overlooked history. It was first established in the late 19th century to regulate the flow of goods and people between the United States and Canada.

One of the most significant events in the history of the Inland Customs Line was the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and increased trade between the two countries. This led to a significant increase in the volume of goods being transported across the border.

The Inland Customs Line was also used to control the movement of people during the Great War, with the Canadian government using it to inspect and regulate the flow of immigrants and travelers. This was a challenging time for the authorities, who had to balance the need to control the flow of people with the need to allow essential trade and travel to continue.

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The Inland Customs Line has a long history dating back to the late 19th century.

The first Inland Customs Line was established in 1887 in the United States to collect tariffs on goods being transported from one state to another.

In the early 20th century, the Inland Customs Line expanded to other countries, with the United Kingdom establishing its own version in 1920.

The Inland Customs Line played a crucial role in regulating international trade and revenue collection, and its establishment marked a significant shift in the way goods were transported and taxed.

The origins of this phenomenon are rooted in the early days of human history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this event dates back to ancient civilizations around 3000 BCE.

These early societies likely developed this practice due to their geographical location and need for survival.

The first written records of this event can be found in ancient Mesopotamia, where it was mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

This event has been a cornerstone of human culture ever since, with various societies adapting and evolving their own unique practices.

The Rediscovery of the Great Hedge of India was a remarkable process that involved extensive research and determination. Roy Moxham, a conservator at the University of London library, was the driving force behind this rediscovery.

In 1995, Moxham stumbled upon a passing mention of the hedge in Major-General Sir William Henry Sleeman's work Rambles and Recollections of an Indian Official. This sparked his interest in the subject.

Moxham conducted extensive research in London before making three trips to India to search for any remains of the line. His efforts paid off in 1998 when he located a small raised embankment in the Etawah district in Uttar Pradesh, which may be all that remains of the Great Hedge of India.

The rediscovery of the hedge was not limited to academic circles. In 2015, the Children's BBC channel featured the hedge on Horrible Histories, reaching an audience of 207,000 viewers.

The Great Hedge was a remarkable feat of engineering and land management that played a significant role in the Inland Customs Line.

Built in the early 19th century, the Great Hedge stretched for over 400 miles along the border between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

It was a massive undertaking that required the planting of over 1 million hawthorn trees.

The hedge was designed to prevent smuggling and control the movement of people and goods across the border.

It was also used to mark the boundary between the two countries.

The Great Hedge was a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the people who built it.

It remained an effective barrier for over 50 years.

The hedge was eventually dismantled in the mid-19th century due to the development of railroads and the decline of the smuggling trade.

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The Inland Customs Line was a major success in preventing smuggling, with the number of smugglers caught increasing as the line was lengthened and improved.

In 1868, 2,340 people were convicted of smuggling, which rose to 3,271 in 1873-74 and to 6,077 in 1877-78. Many of these smugglers were caught attempting to disguise salt and bring it through the line or throw it over the hedge.

Smugglers employed various tactics, including hiding salt within the jurisdiction of the customs department to collect a 50 per cent finder's fee. This scam was attempted by some smugglers, but ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Clashes between smugglers and customs men were often violent, with many customs officials being killed in the line of duty. In one notable incident, two customs men were killed while attempting to apprehend 112 smugglers in September 1877.

India has a unique inland customs line system, with the country's coastline being relatively short compared to its vast land border with neighboring countries.

The country's inland customs line is primarily focused on regulating the movement of goods between India and Nepal, with the two countries sharing a 1,770 km open border.

India has a significant trade deficit with Nepal, with the country importing goods worth over $6 billion in 2020, mostly electronics and machinery.