HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHEKV'. 79 



by any vessel or vessels, that are or may be owned and manned wholly 

 by the inhabitants of this commonwealth, and landed within the same, 

 from and after the first day of January next, until the further order 

 of the general court." 



The selectmen of the various towns were further empowered to ap- 

 point sworn inspectors to inspect all oil so landed, and mark on the 

 head of each cask so inspected the initial letters of his name, and a 

 description of the oil by the initials W. B., or Y. W. O., and deliver to 

 the selectmen a sworn certificate thereof. To obtain the bounty, a cer- 

 tificate from the selectmen must be presented to the governor and coun- 

 cil,* detailing the kind, quality, and amount of oil, and where landed 

 To this certificate the owners were to make oath or aflirmation. 



But, although the bounty seemed at first beneficial, the ultimate effect 

 was not so good. The business became unduly stimulated and an over- 

 production prevented to a great degree the desired advance in profit. 

 The demand was greatly limited. A long suspension in the use of oil 

 had accustomed the people in general to the use of tallow candles, and 

 but little oil was required either for towns or for light houses. 



In the mean time, seeing no chance for any amelioration in their con- 

 dition, unable to carry on a business at a prospective loss, and accus< 

 tomed from early childhood only to this pursuit, hence unable and 

 unwilling to adventure another, some of the iirominent merchants of 

 Nantucket resolved to transfer their business to some place where 

 the demand for their products and the advantageons bounty offered 

 would make it far more remunorativ'e. Among these was William 

 Eotch. On the 4th of July, 1785, Mr. Rotch sailed from Kan- 

 tucket in the ship Maria, bound for London, arriving there on the 

 27th. At as early a day as practicable he opened negotiations with 

 the Chancellor of the Exchequer (William Pitt) for a transfer ta 

 England of such of the whale-fishery at Nantucket as he could control.1 

 The subject was laid before the privy council, and Mr. Rotch waited 

 four months for their summons. Finally, in deference to a request of his 



* Macy, 129. 



t Captain Alexander Coffin was of those who looked upon the whale-fishery as a 

 peculiarly American pursuit, and who denounced any effort looking to a transfer of it 

 to any foreign government. On the 8th of June, 1785, he addressed from Nantucket a 

 vigorous letter to the Hon. Samuel Adams. He wrote in severe terms against the 

 measures being adopted to remove to England, and says Mr. Rotch " is now taking on 

 board a double stock of materials, such as Cedar boards, (commonly called boat-boards,) 

 of which they have none in England, a large quantity of cooper's stuff for casks, &c. — ■ 

 neither does it stop here, the house of Rotch have been endeavoring to engage an ac- 

 quaintance of mine to go to Bermudas to superintend the business at that j)lace." In 

 a postscript he adds, " Since writing the above I have been favored with the original 

 schenie of establishment of the Fishery at Bermudas, copies of which are here enclosed ; 

 one of the company is now at Kenuebeck, contracting with some persons for an annual 

 t3upply of hoops, staves, and other lumber necessary for the business." This letter was 

 laid before the senate of Massachusetts, and the result was the passage of an act pro- 

 hibiting the export to Bermudas of the articles enumerated, and the transfer in thia 

 Jirection was prevented. 



