FOREWORD. XV11 



Greenland, to say nothing of Labrador and Newfoundland. 



In 1774 the whale fishery was at the flood. Something 

 like 360 vessels were annually fitted out for whaling 

 cruises, and very nearly five thousand men were shipped 

 annually as seamen on board the fleet, the industry giving 

 occupation indirectly to an army of coopers, blacksmiths, 

 cordwainers, outfitters, stevedores, etc., beside. Between 

 1771 and 1775 the annual production of sperm oil was 

 45,000 barrels, whale-oil 8,500 barrels, and of whalebone 

 75,000 pounds. Sperm candles to the value of $118,000 

 were exported in 1770. 



But trouble was ahead. In the long struggle with France 

 for possession of Canada, the colonists had done most of 

 the effective fighting on this side of the water and not a 

 few hardy New England fishermen and whalers as well as 

 farmers had given up their lives to the cause. When, 

 therefore, the fishing grounds off Newfoundland and Lab- 

 rador were wrested from France, New England whalemen 

 counted upon enjoying the fruits of the colonial struggle. 

 They reckoned without Great Britain. British tax-payers 

 were clamoring to have the expense of the standing army, 

 which was necessary to hold the newly-gained territory, 

 borne entirely by the colonies; hence the policy of direct 

 taxation which brought on the Revolution. Moreover, 

 Great Britain was covetous of both Holland and America 

 because of their thriving whale-fisheries. By means of 

 bounties, she had tried to encourage her own whaling, but 

 English ships did not bring in enough oil to supply the 

 home demand. Therefore, by way of crippling her ad- 

 versaries, she clapped an import duty on oil and bone com- 

 ing from the colonies. 



Moreover, when New England whalers attempted to 

 cruise in the Newfoundland and Labrador grounds, they 



