niSTOKY OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY. 73 



lege," says Macy, "seemed to give new life to the people. It produced 

 a considerable movement in business, but the resources of the island 

 had so diminished, that but a small number of vessels could take the 

 benefit of these permits. Those who had vessels, and were possessed of 

 the means, fitted them out on short voyages, and, had there been no 

 hinderance, it is probable that they would have done well; for the 

 whales, having been unmolested for several years, had become numer- 

 ous, and were pretty easily caught. To carry on the whale-fishery under 

 permission of the government of Great Britain was a proceeding some- 

 what novel, and could not pass unnoticed. Although it was not pub- 

 licly known, yet it was generally believed that some kind of indulgence 

 had been shown by the enemy to the people of Nantucket. This caused 

 some clamor on the continent ; but our Government well knew the situ- 

 ation of the place, and its large participation in the calamities of the 

 war, and was, consequently, rather inclined to favor than to condemn 

 he acceptance of favors from the English. Although the Governmentt 

 could not grant an exclusive privilege to any particular part of the 

 Union, yet such encouragement was given by the leading men of the 

 nation, in their individual capacity, as to warrant the proceeding. Sev- 

 eral vessels whaling under tJiese permits were taken by American priva- 

 teers and carried into port, but in every instance they were soon liber- 

 ated. Whenever it was found that the permits were used for no other 

 purpose than that for which they had been granted, and that the vessels 

 using them had not been engaged in illicit trade, there was no hesita- 

 tion in releasing them." 



Nevertheless a great risk attended this mode of proceeding, and the 

 islanders became satisfied that to make the business reasonably safe 

 permits must be obtained from both contending powers and permission 

 also to make use of each license against the other's vessels of war. Ac- 

 cordingly, a town meeting was convened on the 25th of September, 1782, 

 and a memorial prepared and adopted which was sent to the general 

 court of Massachusetts.* This petition recited the unfortunate situa- 



margin, to leave the island of Nantucket and to proceed on a whaling 

 James Chase, voyage, — to commence the first of January, 1782, and end the last day 



G \^^ Co^ man °^ following, provided that they have on board the necessary 



Silvanus Swain whaling craft and provisions only, and that the master of said brig is 

 diaries Russell possessed of a certificate from the selectmen of the said island, setting 

 Peter Pollard ^orth that she is bone fide the property of the inhabitants of the island, 

 Andrew Coleman -^yith the names of the master and seamen in her; and that she shall 

 Junath n Bri"- ^'^^ ^® found proceeding with her cargo to any other port than Nan- 

 tucket or New York. 

 "Dated at New York, the first day of December, 1761. 



"ROBERT DIGBY. 



" To the commissioners of his majesty's ships and vessels of war, as well as of all pri- 

 vateers and letters of marque. 



" By command of the Admiral : 



" THOMAS M. PALMER." 



* By a very disastrous fire at Nantucket, in 1846, the records both of the town and 

 cu§tom-house were destroyed, hence there arises much difficulty in getting many inter- 



