HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY. 81 



friends to Dunkirk, from which port, for several years, a very successful 

 fishery was carried on. Contemporary with the negotiations with Mr. 

 Botch, a letter was dispatched to the people of Nantucket by Capt. 



Shubael Gardner, from L Coffin, who resided at Dunkirk, stating 



that his sympathy for the people of that island had led him to apply to 

 the French government in their behalf, and with excellent success. 

 Every request he had made had been granted, and the unlimited free- 

 dom, the abundance and cheapness of provisions, the absence of custom- 

 houses, the small taxes, the regularity of the town, the manners and in- 

 dustry of the inhabitants, and its situation, rendered it, in his opinion, 

 " the most eligible place in the universe for the people of Nantucket to 

 remove to.* 



What effect this state of affairs may have had in the arrangement of 

 treaties of commerce with Great Britain is somewhat uncertain, but the 

 attempt to a consummation of this plan was intrusted to a man not only 



my demands. This was effected in live hours, when I had waited to be called by your 

 Privy Council more than four months." All attempts on the part of the English gov- 

 ernment to re-open the subject were politely but firmly rejected by Mr. Rotch. " In the 

 beginning of 1793," the account continues, " I became fully aware that war between 

 England & France would soon take place, therefore it was time for me to leave the 

 Country in order to save our vessels if captured by the English. I proceeded to Eng- 

 land. Two of them were captured, full of oil, & condemned, but we recovered both by 

 my being in England, where I arrived two weeks before the war took place. My goirsg 

 to France to pursue the whale-fishery so disappointed Lord Hawksbury that he under- 

 took to be revenged on me for his own folly, aud I have no doubt gave directions to 

 the Cruisers to take any of our vessels that they met with goingto France. When the 

 Ospray was taken by a King's ship, the officer sent on board to examine her papers, 

 called to the captain & said, " You'll take this vessel in sir, she belongs to Wm. 

 Rotch." Mr. Rotch returned to the United States with several of his vessels in 1794, 

 and after residing in Nantucket about a year removed to New Bedford, where he lived 

 until his death, in May, 1828. 



* The following is a list of advantages secured to Nantucket whalemen by Mr. 

 Coffin: 



" 1st. An entire free exercise of their religion or worship within themselves. 



M 2d. The concession of a tract of ground to build their houses and stores. 



"3d. All the privileges, exemptions, and advantages promised by the king's declara- 

 tion in 1662, confirmed by letters-patent of 1784, to all strangers who come to establish 

 there, which are the same as those enjoyed by the natif subjects of his majisty. 



" 4th. The importation into the kingdom, free from all duties whatever, of the oil 

 proceeding from their fishery, and the same premiums and encouragement granted for 

 the cod and other fisheries to natif subjects. 



" 5th. A premium per ton on the burthen of the vessels that will carry on the whale 

 fishery, which shall be determined in the course of the negotiation either with Mr. 

 Rotch or with the select men of the island. 



"6th. All objects of provisions and victuals for their ships shall be exeinjited from 

 all duties whatever. 



" 7th. An additional and heavier duty shall be laid on all foreign oil, as a further 

 encouragement to them, in order to facilitate the sale of their own. 



"8th. The expenses of removing those of the inhabitants, who are not capable of 

 defraying themselves, shall be paid by the Government. 



"9th. A convenient dock shall be built to repair their ships. 



" 10th. All trades-people, such as smiths, boat-builders, coopers, and others, shall bo 

 admitted to the free exercise of their trade without being liable to the forms and ex- 

 6 



