The Rise of American Whaling. 43 
The opening of the French market to American whale 
products in 1789 temporarily brightened the prospects 
for the whalemen. The business was somewhat stimu- 
lated, and as whales were becoming scarce on the old 
grounds, larger vessels were added to the fleet. Ships 
and brigs were introduced and the voyages which had 
reached the South Atlantic before the Revolution were 
now extended until the Pacific Ocean was reached. Six 
ships sailed for the Pacific from Nantucket and New 
Bedford in 1791. They were not, however, the first 
whalers in the Pacific, since English fitted vessels had 
preceded them by at least four years.” 
The prosperity which was expected from the opening 
of the French market resulted in increased activity and 
competition. The outbreak of the French Revolution, 
however, put an end to all these favorable prospects, 
and shipments sent there after 1792 did not pay costs.” 
The markets were glutted, the price of bone was reduced 
to ten cents per pound, instead of bringing one dollar 
per pound as it had before the war, and oil was sold for 
less than the cost of production.” And again there was 
a temporary period of hauling up or selling vessels rather 
than engage in the business at the risk of still further 
losses. Soon after (1798) the prospects of trouble be- 
tween France and the United States added another load 
to the difficulties of the whaling interests. The depre- 
dations of the French privateers on American commerce 
were felt heavily in the whaling fleet. Several vessels 
were captured, four from Nantucket; others were sold 
because their owners would not send them out at the 
risk of capture. This risk was so great, says Macy,” 
that “‘the rates of insurance increased so that shipowners 
must have been subject to a loss, according to prevail- 
74 Starbuck, p. go. 
% Macy, p. 141. 
78 Starbuck, p. gr\ 
™ Macy, p. 150. 
