98 The Story of the New England Whalers 



Further than that, although his losses amounted 

 to more than $60,000 during the war, he built 

 ships to replace those taken by the enemy, and 

 he kept them cruising for whales. For perse- 

 verance under adverse circumstances, there was 

 no man more noted in the annals of the whale 

 fishery than Rotch. 



As it happened, one of the ships of William 

 Rotch returned to port just at the time, at the 

 end of the war, when it became safe to send a 

 cargo to Europe. She was at once ordered with 

 oil to London. The appearance of a ship flying 

 the American flag in that port created a decided 

 sensation. Said a periodical of the day : 



"The ship Bedford, Captain Mooers, belonging to 

 Massachusetts, arrived in the Downs the 3d of Febru- 

 ary, & was reported at the Custom-House the 6th in- 

 stant. She was not allowed regular entry until some 

 consultation had taken place between the commissioners 

 of the customs & the lords of council, on account of 

 the many acts of parliament yet in force against the 

 rebels in America. She is loaded with 487 butts of 

 whale oil; is American built; manned wholly by Ameri- 

 can seamen; wears the rebel colors & belongs to the 

 island of Nantucket in Massachusetts. This is the 



