Historic Nantucket, January 1975, Vol. 23 No. 3

Whales and Destiny THE ENGLISH publication "Mariner's Mirror" in a recent issue printed a favorable review of the volume Whales and Des­ tiny, by Edouard A. Stackpole, Historian of the Nantucket His­ torical Association. The review reads as follows: A brilliant study of mercantile negotiations and maritime policies fought out in London, Boston, Paris and the Southern Hemisphere during and after the Rev­ olutionary and Napoleonic Wars. And also a heartening exposition of how, when the big fellows fell out, a tiny little island community counted its ha'pence and serenely went on turning them into pounds in spite of them all.

England by blockading the rebellious Americans found she had cut off most of her sperm oil supplies, London streets darkened and crime increased, and we had a Fuel Crisis on our hands. Little Nantucket had the oil and saw itself being cut off from its customers. If that was what Boston Tea Parties were all about, it just wasn't funny.

They pleaded for neutral status but the London import­ ers countered by asking them to emigrate to London, ships and all, and promised them jobs. Meantime some of them had set up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and hoped to dodge the blockade from that British Colony.

To make sure that more captains and crews came to London the merchants there made sure the Dartmouth scheme failed.

Meantime an offer of the port of Dunkirk had come from France. Doubtfully, the Nantucket Quakers turned up at Versailles to make terms "in our usual way, with our heads covered, which being explained, directed their apparent full approbation" (a delightful expression).

And so right opposite the mouth of the Thames from which other of their ships operated, the Nantucketers set up their European base. Dunkirk based whalers like William Rotch, by trans-shipping to Dunkirk, oil from ships actually sailing out of Nantucket (to augment that brought in by their Dunkirk whalers) were able to sup­ ply not only France but, through the back door, the Neth­ erlands, Germany, and anyone who had the cash.

Meantime another scheme was launched by English developer Charles Greville, best known to some of us as Emma Hamilton's best friend. He was opening up Milford Haven and worked hard to get the Nantucketers there. It is remarkable how, while nibbling at all these baits, those cold-eyed islanders stuck devotedly to their much loved home and, as the sky cleared, all drifted back.

It is admirable how Mr. Stackpole never loses the