44 A History of the American Whale Fishery. 
ing prices of oil, even if ships had arrived with full 
cargoes.” 
From this time until the outbreak of the War of 1812 the 
whale fishery was carried on under uncertain and often- 
times adverse conditions. Fora time—i.e., until about 
1806 or 1807—the fleet was gradually increasing in 
size from year to year,” as will appear from the figures 
giving the tonnage of the fleet in Table I of Appendix I. 
But after that year the tonnage appears to have declined 
steadily. The Embargo of 1807 was the worst in its ef- 
fects on the whale fishery. The act did not directly in- 
clude whaling vessels in the prohibited list, but by stop- 
ping the exportation of whale products the prices were 
kept low. At first, also, the dangers of capture by Eng- 
lish privateers were so great that no insurance could be 
secured, and, unwilling to bear the entire risk, many of 
the owners withdrew their vessels.” For a short time in 
1809 and 1810 there were many prospects of peace, and 
by the end of the latter year almost the whole fleet was 
again in commission. Thus when the war did break out 
in 1812 a large proportion of the whaling fleet was at 
sea—many of the vessels having sailed for the Pacific 
on voyages varying from two to two anda half years.” 
Some of the vessels returned as soon as they learned 
of the war, to lie idle in fortified ports until the coming 
of peace again. Others were captured. Nantucket and 
New Bedford, the chief whaling ports, suffering most 
heavily. 
In the two years just preceding the war the towns 
sending out whaling vessels were, besides Nantucket 
and New Bedford: Sag Harbor, N. Y., Greenwich, R. L., 
and Westport, Mass., according to Starbuck’s record of 
vessels sailing.** In addition to the ports already men- 
% Starbuck, p. or. 
7” Macy, p. 159. 
* Starbuck, p. 93. 
*' Starbuck, p. 18off. 
