TIIK \YII.\u: nsilKKY. |;;;; 



.unit; Cl'0,000 fur a hundred families.' Loid llawksbnrv demurred ID this as a la rye. .sum.* 

 At a, subsequent interview Mr. Uotcli added ID Iiis previous ])osition the demand to biini; with him 

 thirty American ships, which demand also met \vilh remonstrance 1'roiu Loid Hawkshnry, who 

 .seemed to be of the ' penny \vise pound foolish ' order of statesmen. Mr. Hotel) finally took leave 

 of Lord HawUsbnry without obtaining any satisfaction, and, embarking on board his vessel, sailed 

 for France. t Landing at Dunkirk, he drew up proposals to the French <!overnmeiJt and forwarded 

 them to Paris. These proposals were eagerly entertained, and the preliminaries were speedily 

 arranged for a transfer of (lie interest of Mr. Rotch and his family and friends to Dunkirk, from 

 which port, for several years, a. very successful fishery was carried on. Contemporary with the, 

 negotiations with Mr. Rotch, a letter was dispatched to the people of Nantucket by Capt. Shubael 

 tlardncr, from L - Coffin, who resided at Dunkirk, stating that his sympathy for the people 

 of that island had led him to apply to the French Government in their behalf, and with excellent 

 success. Every request he had made had been granted, and the unlimited freedom, tflfc abun- 

 dance and cheapness of provisions, the absence of custom-houses, the small taxes, the regularity ct 

 the town, the manners and industry of the inhabitants, and its situation, rendered it, in his opin- 

 ion, l the most eligible place in the universe for the people of Nantucket to remove to.f 



'Ami uli.it,' queried Lord Hawksbnry, 'do you prop use. lo givu us iu return for this outlay of money ?' 'I will 

 nive you,' returned Mr. Rotch proudly, 'some of tie best blood of the island of Nun tucket.' At this interview Hawks- 

 bury presented his own figures, where, says Mr. Rotch (see MS.), 'he had made hisnice calculation of 87 10. for 

 transportation aud settlement of a family,' and, says he, ' Iain about a fishery bill, and I want to come to something 

 that I may insert it,' &c. My answer was, ' Thy offer is no object; therefore goon with thy fishery bill without any 

 regard to me.' I was then taking leave aud withdrawing. 'Well, Mr. Rotch. you'll call on me again in two or three 

 days.' ' I see no necessity for it.' ' But I desire you would.' ' If it is thy desire perhaps I may call.' However, he 

 let me rest 1ml one day before he sent for me. He hud the old story over again, but I told him it was unnecessary to 

 enter again into the subject. I then iu formed him that I had beard a rumor that Nantncket liad agreed to furnish 

 France with a quantity of oil. He stopped to his bureau, took out one of a file of papers, and pretended to read an 

 entire contradiction, though I was satisfied there was not a line there on the subject. I said, ' It was only a vague 

 report that I had heard, aud I cannot vouch for the truth of it, but we are like drowning men, catching at everv 

 straw that passes by; therefore I am now determined to go to France aud see what it is. If there is any such con- 

 tract, sufficient to retain us at Nautucket, neither you nor any other nation shall have us, and if it is insufficient, I 

 will endeavor to enlarge it.' 'Ah,' says he, 'Quakers go to France?' 'Yes,' I replied, ' but with regret.' I then 

 pai-ted with Lord Hawksbury for the last time. (Rotch MS.)" 



" t His lordship sent once more for Mr. Rotch to call on him, but Mr. Rotch returned answer, ' If Lord Hawks- 

 bury ib-sires to" see me be will find rue on board my vessel up to the hour when she takes her anchor.' When Mr. 

 Rotch was once gone, Hawksbury became alarmed and sent to him by letter, informing him that he had made pro- 

 vision in the fishery bill for him, with liberty to bring- forty ships instead of thirty, ' he having forgotten the num- 

 ber;' but it was too late. This unexpected ending of his hopes was far from pleasing either to his lordship or tbe 

 ( "i\ eminent. After tbe interview with the King of France, Mr. Rotch returned to England, and was importuned to 

 remove to Great Britain. In his memoranda he says be was waited upon by one of the officials, who told him ho was 

 ' authorized by Mr. Pitt to tell you that you shall make your own terms.' 'I told him,' continues Mr. Rotch, ' he v*as 

 too late. I made very moderate proposals to you, but could obtain nothing worth my notice. I went to France, senl 

 forward my proposals, which were doubly advantageous to what I had oifered your Government ; they considered 

 them Inn a -hurt tune, and on my arrival in Paris were ready to act. I had a separate interview with all the minis- 

 ters ol'state necessary to the subject, five in number, who all agreed to aud granted my demands. This was effected 

 iu live hours, when 1 had waited to be called by your privy council more than four months.' All attempts on 

 the part of the English Government to reopen the subject were politely but. firmly rejected by Mr. Rotch. 'In the 

 beginning of 1793,' the account continues, 'I became fully aware that war hetueeii England aud France would 



- iiakeplaee; therefore it was lime tor me to leave the country iu order to save our vessels if captured by the 



English. 1 proceeded lo England. Two of them were captured, full of oil, and condemned, but we recovered both by 

 my being in Knghiud, where I arrived two weeks before the war took place. My going to France to pursue the whale 

 fishery so disappointed Lord Hawksbnry that he undertook to be revenged on me for his own folly, and I have no 

 doubt ".ave directions to the cruisers lo take an\ of our vessels that they met with going to France. When the 

 Ospray was taken by a King's ship, the officer sent on board to examine her papers called to the captain and said, 

 "You'll take this vessel in, sir; she belongs to William Rotch." ' Mr. Rotch returned to (he United .stales with 

 several of his vessels in 1794, and. after residing in Nantucket about a year, removed to New Bedford, where he lived 

 until his death, in May, 1828." 



" t The following is a list of advantages secured to Nantucket, whalemen by Mr. Coffin : 

 ' ' 1st. An entire lice exercise of their religion or worship within themselves. 



