92 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



confined exclusively to the French, for in 1800 the Spanish authorities 

 at Valparaiso, emulating the hostility to a power ostensibly at peace 

 with them, which the French had shown, seized and condemned the 

 whale-ships Miantonomah, of Norwich, and Tryal, of Nantucket.* 



From this time till the opening of the second war with England, 

 whaling was pursued with a gradually-augmenting fleet. And this in 

 the face of the uncertainties which the increasingly critical state of 

 affiiirs between the United States and England occasioned. In 1802 

 Nantucket added five ships to her fleet, and New London sent her first 

 large vessel,t and in 180G the quantity of oil imported into the country 

 was considerably in excess of the consumption. 



The embargo act, of 1807, almost suspended the pursuit, not so 

 much by actual proscription as because of the impossibility of effecting 

 insurance upon the vessels, but it soon received another impetus on ac- 

 count of the prospect of a general peace throughout Europe. 



The commencement of the war of 1812 found a large portion of the 

 whaling-fleet at sea. Trusting that the causes of contention between 

 England and America would be removed without the necessity of a 

 final appeal to arms, many owners had fitted out their ships. This was 

 particularly the case at Nantucket, from which port a large proportion of 

 the fleet had sailed for the Pacific Ocean on voyages varying from about 

 two years to two years and a half f With the reception of the news of 

 the declaration of war a large portion of the vessels in the North and 

 South Atlantic, and some of those in the Pacific, turned their prows 

 homeward, hoping to make the home port before the seas swarmed with 

 letters-of marque and national vessels of war. Many of these vessels 

 from Nantucket on arriving home sailed thence immediately for Boston, 

 Newport, New Bedford, or some other fortified port, where they could 

 ride out the storm of war in security. After the mouth of July, 1812, 

 was ushered in, reports of the capture of whaling-vessels came thick 

 and fast to Nantucket. § First came the news of the taking and burn- 

 ing of the schooner Mount Hope, David Cottle master. In quick suc- 

 cession they learned of the capture of the Alligator, Hope, Manilla, 



tbau the sophistries of politicians. Tlie Fox. of New Bedford, Captaiu Coftin Whippey, 

 captured iu 1796 with 1,500 whale and 500 sperm, was another case. In 1853 Captain 

 AVhippey— captured a second time in 1798— was living, but dependent upon charity. 



* The Miantonomah was a new ship, on her first voyage. 



tin 1794 the ship Commerce, of East liaddam, was fitted for a whaling voyage, and 

 sailed from New London on February 6 of that year. In 1770 Capt. Isaiah Eldridge, of 

 the sloop Tryall, of Dartmouth, spoke, among other whalemen on the Davis' Strait 

 ground, Thomas Wiccum, (Wiggin ?) of New London. 



i See Macy, 161-2-3. 



$When war seemed inevitable the ship-owners of Nantucket held a meeting to take 

 into consideration the subject of how to best secure the fleet from capture. It was 

 proposed to request the British minister at Washington to use his influence with his 

 government to obtain from them immunity from capture of whale-ships belonging to 

 the island. This plan was ultimately abandoned, the majority of the owners being of 

 the opinion that " the prospect of success was too faint to warrant the attempt." (Macy> 

 1G5.) 



