I haven't been following this issue much, however, I was interested in
     the references to smuggling.  We have evidence of illegal trade at the
     site of the British/New England fishing town of Canso (now Grassy
     Island National Historic Site, in Nova Scotia, Canada) 1720-1744.
     Open trade with the French settlement of Louisbourg was forbidden by
     the British government and yet our excavations in the homes of
     merchants and military officers reveal ample evidence for it.  French
     wine bottles, as well as fine and coarse French earthenwares are
     common in the midden deposits.  This tallies with documents of
     requests from Boston merchants to their agents in Canso to pick up a
     few luxury items on their excursions to Louisbourg.
 
     Following the destruction of Canso by a force from Louisbourg,
     merchant Edward How filed a claim for losses to the colonial
     government.  Fraud is perhaps evident in the discrepancy between the
     size of residence How stated in his claim (29.3m x 12.2m) versus the
     excavated evidence (17.6m x 7.75m, which includes a shed addition).
 
     Corruption in the military is seen on the property of Captain
     Christopher Aldridge, commanding officer at Canso from 1732-1735 (his
     son, also in the military, maintained the property after his father's
     departure).  An unpopular community leader, Aldridge was cited by the
     inhabitants and seasonal fishermen as uncooperative and aggressive,
     and subsequently removed from his post.  In one of his returns to the
     Board of Trade in London, while still in command, he stated without
     reserve that no military personnel were involved in the fishing
     economy.  Yet the most prominent fish flakes (drying racks for salt
     cod) are located on the slope below his home.  They are visible today
     as long parallel mounds divided by worn paths.
 
     It would seem that archaeological evidence does indeed provide
     insights into past crimes.
 
     (Grassy Island National Historic Site is located at the eastern tip of
     mainland Nova Scotia in the town of Canso.  A visitor centre on the
     shore interprets the 18th-century community using historical and
     archaeological evidence.  A short boat ride in the protected harbour
     takes visitors to the island which has been largely undisturbed since
     1745.  On-site panels interpret the history and identify some of the
     many archaeological features.)