PORTER S J0URNAI,» 



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whaling business at Nantucket, embraced the liberal offers 

 of the British government, (the object of which was no 

 doubt the destruction of our fisheries,) and established him- 

 self, with several families, at the port of Milford, taking 

 with him a number of ships, where he carried on business to 

 great advantage. One of his ships, (the Montezuma,) with 

 a British register, fell into my hands 5 and this, it seems, is 

 the only misfortune which has been known to happen to 

 any of his vessels, since he established himself in England. 



It is supposed there are not less than sixty ships employ- 

 ed in the southern spermaceti whale-fishery, including 

 those off New-Zealand, Tiane, and about the Cape of 

 Good Hope, which, with their outfits on leaving England, 

 may be estimated at three millions, and on their arrival 

 with their cargoes, to twelve millions of dollars. These 

 ships are bound, under certain penalties, to have on board 

 an apprentice for every fifty tons burthen, who, as well as 

 the rest of their crews, is protected from impressment into 

 his majesty's service. They are all permitted to arm and 

 sail without convoy ; but on their return from their voy- 

 ages, always touch at St. Helena to join the homeward 

 bound fleets, as their cargoes are then too valuable to trust 

 to the paltry defence which they could make with their few 

 men and guns. 



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