HISTORY OF THE AMEEICAN WHALE FISHERY. 67 



Clark, Benjamin Clark, William Eay, Paul Pease, Bunker Fitch, Reu- 

 ben Fitch, Zebbeedee Coffin * and another Coffin, Delauo,t An- 

 drew Swain, William Eay, all of Nantucket, John Lock, Cape Cod ; | 

 four or five of these vessels went to Greenland. The fleet sails to Green- 

 land, yearly, thelast of February or the Beginning of March. There was 

 published, the year before last, in the English Newspapers, and the 

 same Imposture was repeated last year, and no doubt will be renewed 

 this, a Letter from the Lords of Admiralty to Mr. Dennis De Beralt, in 

 Colman street, informing, him that a Convoy should be appointed to the 

 Brazil Fleet. But this, I had certain Information, was a Forgery calcu- 

 telad mainly to deceive American Privateers, and that no Convoy was 

 appointed, or did go with that Fleet, either last year, or the year before. 



" For the Destruction or Captivity of a Fishery so entirely defenceless, 

 for not one of the Vessells has any arms, a single Frigate or Privateer of 

 Twenty-four, or even of Twenty guns, would be sufficient. The Begin- 

 ning of December, would be the best Time to proceed from hence, because 

 the Frigate would then find the Whaling Yessells nearly loaded. The 

 Cargoes of these Vessells, consisting of Bone and Oyl, will be very valu- 

 able, and at least four hundred and fifty of the best kind of seamen 

 would be taken out of the Hands of the English, and might be gained 

 into the American service to act against the Enemy. Most of the offi- 

 cers and Men wish well to this Country, and would gladly be in its serv- 

 ice if they could be delivered, from that they are engaged in. Whencmr 

 an English Man of icar, or Privateer, has taken an American Vessell, they 

 have given to the Whalemen among the Crete, by order of Government, their 

 Choice, either to go on Board a Man of tear, andfight against their Country 

 or go into the Whale Fishery. Such Numbers liave chosen the latter as have 

 made u]} the Crews of these seventeen Vessells.^ 



"I thought it my Duty to communicate this Intelligence to your 

 Honours, that if so profitable a Branch of Commerce, and so valuable 

 a Nursery of Seamen, can be taken from the English it may be done. 

 This State has a peculiar Eight and Interest to undertake the Enter- 

 prise, as almost the whole fleet belongs to it. I have the Honour to be, 

 with the highest Consideration, your Honours most obedient & most 

 humble servant 



"JOHN ADAMS." 



This letter was referred to a committee who reported that a copy of 

 it should be sent to the President of the Continental Congress, which 

 report was adopted, and thus Massachusetts let slip through her fingers 

 the identical golden opportunity which the General Government had 

 neglected the year before. The suggestions of Mr. Adams, who of all 

 our revolutionary statesmen seems most to have understood and appre- 



* Zebdiel Coffin. '' 



t Abisha Delano (probably.) 



t From Nantucket. Twenty names are given in this list. 

 $ Not italicised in the original. 



