128 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THK FISHERIES. 



having been unmolested for several years, had become numerous, and were pretty easily caught. 

 To carry on the whale fishery under permission of the Government of Great Britain was a proceed- 

 ing somewhat novel, and could not pass unnoticed. Although it was not publicly 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 

 situation of the place, and its large participation in the calamities of the war, and was, consequently, 

 rather inclined to favor than to condemn the acceptance of favors from the English. Although 

 the Government 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. Several vessels whaling under these permits were taken by American 

 privateers and carried into port, but in every instance they were soon liberated. 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 

 hesitation 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. Accord- 

 ingly, a town meeting was convened on the 25th of September, 178U, and a memorial prepared 

 and adopted which was sent to the general court of Massachusetts.* This petition recited the 

 unfortunate situation the people were in, exposed to the inroads of English and Americans, with 

 neither side able or willing to protect them against the other, and powerless, because; of the 

 defenseless character of the island and the religious convictions of the vast majority of the inhabi- 

 tants, to suitably guard their own firesides. They urged that people in continental towns, where 

 the broad country opened to them a place for retreat, could have but faint ideas of the suffering 

 of those who were constantly liable to hostile invasion and whose insular position precluded 

 all thoughts of escape, and they indignantly resented the calumnies which had been spread broad- 

 cast through the State in regard to alleged actions of theirs. Regarding the prosecution of their 

 business, they said: 



" ' We now beg leave to throw a few hints before you respecting the Whalefishery, as a matter 

 of great importance to this Commonwealth. This place before the War, was the First in that 

 branch of business, & employed more than One Hundred Sail of good Vessels therein, which fur- 

 nish'd a support net only for Five Thousand Inhabitants here, but for Thousands elsewhere, no ' 

 place so well adapted for the good of the Community at large as Nantucket, it being destitute of 

 every material necessary in the Business, and the Inhabitants might be called Factors for the 

 Continent rather than Principals; as the war encreased the Fishery ceased, until necessity obliged 

 us to make trial the last Year, with about seventeen sail of Vessels, Two of which were captured 

 & carried to New York, t & one was burnt the others made, saving voyages. The present Year 

 we employed about Twenty Four sail in the same business, which have mostly compleated their 

 Voyages, but with little success ; & a great loss will ensue ; this wo apprehend is greatly owing 

 to the circumscribed situation of the Fishery ; we are now fully sensible that it can no longer be pur- 

 sued by us, unless we have free liberty both from Great Britain & America to fish without inter- 



" *By a very disaslrous firo at Nantucket, in 1846, tin- records both of tlir town and custom-house were destroyed, 

 hence there arises much difficulty in getting many interesting details. Many of the custom records of New Bedford 

 were destroyed by lire in ISJ.'i; the corresponding documents of Newport, prior to 1779, were carried away by the 

 English, and the \ enel containing them being suuk, they -were, when recovered, in a very damaged condition ; the 

 similar records of S.ig Harbor (the older ones) v, 1 in a damp place, and are mildewed and illegible." 



"t New York, at this time, was in possession of the Knglish." 



