14 A History of the American Whale Fishery. 
In 1612 the vessels of the Russia Company met off 
Spitzbergen one Dutch and one Spanish ship from Biscay, 
fitted for whaling. The Dutch vessel was driven off, 
thus marking the beginning of a long struggle between 
the two nations for possession of this much desired 
trade. The next year, 1613, to protect itself from these 
invaders, the Russia Company secured a royal monopoly 
of the fishery. By this charter all other persons, whether 
Englishmen or foreigners, were excluded from participa- 
tion therein. The company prepared for an armed 
enforcement of the monopoly. Again Dutch and 
Spanish vessels were encountered with the addition of 
some French," all of which were attacked and either 
driven away or allowed to leave in peace on giving up 
all or part of the cargoes they had secured. The con- 
flicts, however, consumed much of the whaling season, 
and in spite of the levies made on the foreign vessels the 
venture ended in a financial loss for the company. 
These conditions of rivalry, sometimes peaceable, 
sometimes resulting in actual conflict and bloodshed, 
continued until about 1619, when a conference was held 
to adjust the differences. The English, Dutch and 
Danes each claimed exclusive right to the fishery—the 
first two basing their claim on priority of discovery, 
the last on the supposition that Spitzbergen was a part 
of Greenland. The coast of Spitzbergen is very irregular, 
making many bays and harbors all of which were largely 
resorted to by whales. It was finally agreed that these 
bays and harbors were to be divided among the different 
nations and were to be considered the sole possessions of 
those to whom they were allotted.'7 These arrange- 
ments having been adopted, whaling was carried on 
more peacefully, each nation, including English, Dutch, 
Danes, Hamburgers and Biscayans carrying on the 
8 Scoresby, p. 25-26. 
17 Scoresby, p. 36. 
