POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL 33 



license, cleared for some port in the United 

 States and sailed for Europe. Coasting 

 vessels became leaky or ran short of pro- 

 visions and were obliged to put into some 

 foreign colonial port. Halifax 1 to the north 

 and Amelia Island 2 to the south became 

 entrepots for American produce. Eastport 

 and Passamaquoddy assumed an impor- 

 tance unique in their history, and their 

 beaches for miles were dotted with barrels 

 of flour, en route for Canada and Halifax. 3 

 One hundred and fifty thousand barrels 



1 " Cleared from the port of Salem, schooner 'Charles,' 

 'Liberty' and 'Lucy' for Portland. The Royal' and 

 'Good Content' for the Penobscot. The 'Franklin' and 

 'Four Sisters' for Frenchman's Bay. The 'Enterprise,' 

 'Cherrystone' and 'Mary' for Portsmouth and twelve 

 more for Machias and other Maine ports. Probably all 

 reached Halifax or Eastport." Salem Gazette, July 27, 

 1807. 



2 Mr. Troup, during a speech delivered Feb. 21, 1809, 

 read a letter from St. Mary's, Amelia Island, saying that 

 twenty vessels had lately sailed from the island, laden 

 with cotton and provisions. Twenty more would soon sail 

 and seven ships and two brigs were waiting to load. 



3 Wheeler, History of Castine. 



