Salem Maritime

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National Historic Site, Massachusetts of the world. Salem's 150 privateering vessels The task of carrying the war to the British mer­ Throughout the war, preferred to serve e would not remain idle in years to come. chant marine fell to America's merchant sea­ aboard privateers because their percentage of Independence meant losing foreign markets; men, sailing in private , the State navies, prize money—as well as their —were E

Great Britain naturally closed her ports—and and the Continental Navy. At the beginning of higher than on Navy ships: privateers paid sea­ 5 Elias Hasket Derby, 47 years old and well on those of her West Indian and other colonies—to 1776, the Continental Navy had only four ships men $12 to $16 per month, and one 14-year-old his way to becoming America's first millionaire, American vessels. So Salem shipowners, seek­ to put to sea, and was far too small to damage cabin boy's share of a month's prizes was said thrust the brass telescope through the second- ing new markets, sent vessels flying their house the . Congress, therefore, issued to total $700 in cash, a ton of sugar, 35 gallons story window of his counting house, looked past flags to the far corners of the world. They letters of marque and reprisal to individuals of rum, and 20 pounds each of cotton, ginger, the bustle and the ships berthed along the manned their ships with venturesome sailors, authorizing privately owned and operated ves­ logwood and allspice. family wharf, and scanned the horizon beyond many mere boys. And the merchants empow­ sels to capture enemy shipping for profit. Naugus Head. The horizon remained clear of ered their captains, some still in their teens, to In June 1778, with the news that France had sail, and eventually he put aside his glass. act for them as buying and selling agents. entered the war, shipowners, following the Early in the war privateers started to take their Sighting Grand Turk, a favorite vessel he had example of the Derbys of Salem, began to build toll. By the summer of 1776, faced with the dispatched to the Far East almost 2 years earlier The fame of Salem mariners dated back to vessels especially for privateering—big enough doubly rewarding prospect of taking enemy in 1785, would have given him a measure of the early 1700's, when the town gained a repu­ to carry more than 20 guns and crews of 150, relief. A sloop had returned from tation for having the New World's most able and shipping out of action and realizing prize money and fast enough to run when outmatched. Such China earlier that month, bringing news that daring captains. And no wonder; many of her from the sale of captured goods, many owners a was the 180-ton General Pickering, built Grand Turk's planned to sail from Can­ sons went to sea at an early age. A Salem boy had outfitted and coastal craft with 6- or in Salem and granted a letter of marque. She ton on New Year's Day of 1787. Derby had work breathed salt air from the day of his birth, fell 9-pounder cannon and sent them to sea. These carried 16 six-pounder guns and a crew of to do, and so reluctantly he left the sighting to asleep to snatches of sea chanteys blowing in first privateers, mostly small sloops and schoon­ 45 men and boys. What gave her a special the boys who lay on the rocks at The Neck, on the onshore winds. A youth might ship as a ers, were well armed and carried large crews place in privateering annals was the courage of each one hoping to be first back to town with cabin boy at the age of 14, captain a merchant so they could man any prize. Other privateers her commander, 35-year-old Jonathan Haraden the news that would earn him a Spanish silver vessel at 20, and by 40 retire from the sea to were larger and better armed, but they were of Salem, and his ability to pass that courage dollar from the vessel's owner. Derby, and his begin a career as a merchant as well as few at the outset of hostilities. on to his crew. father before him, had dispensed many such shipowner. rewards in the 30 years since the seagoing fam­ The martial music of fife and drum had become A tall man, handsome with a high forehead, a ily had established themselves as Salem mer­ In 1768 Richard Derby financed the commonplace by 1777 in coastal towns such as prominent nose, and close-cropped sandy hair, "To the farthest port of the rich chants. Now, the war years over, the Derbys Gazette, a newspaper that would become an Salem. A youth heading through twisted streets Haraden endeared himself to his men by tem­ East." As fishing village, haven for and other New England merchant-shipowners organ of the Revolution. Friction between Eng­ toward the sound would round one last corner pering his courage in battle with cool delibera­ privateers, and mercantile center, the were about to cross into an age of trade golden land and her American colonies was increasing. and come upon a knot of men listening to a tion, maintaining an easy-going air at other port of Salem was the embodiment beyond their expectations. In Salem, as elsewhere, British acts affecting smartly dressed ship's extolling the times, and showing a readiness to take advan­ of its exotic motto. Merchants like commerce and shipping were felt to be intol­ benefits of serving aboard a privateer—particu­ tage of anything luck brought his way. Elias Hasket Derby (above) sent their erable. In February 1775, after 5 years of Richard Derby, who had turned over control of larly the trim craft tied up to the wharf behind ships to sea in war and peace, seek­ worsening relations, Thomas Gage, governor- the business to his second son, Elias, in the him. A lad who stayed to listen might join oth­ In May 1780 Haraden set out on a voyage ing the world's wealth. Luxuries like general of Massachusetts, ordered soldiers to 1770's, died in 1783 at the age of 71, but not ers in accepting his invitation to step over to common to many letters of marque: he sailed Canton tea and china, staples like seize ammunition and cannons in Salem. Some before seeing his youngest son, John, sail into the tavern for free food and drink. And most, for Bilboa, Spain, with a cargo of sugar, and Russian iron and canvas flowed into belonged to Richard Derby, who refused to give after the fellowship that followed, thought it only planned to hunt enemy shipping on his return Salem and became in turn cargoes port from Europe with the Nation's first news of them up. Two months later a similar order to the end of the Revolutionary War—the signing right to sign the articles of service that the voyage, filling his empty hold with captured for ships embarking on new mercan­ British soldiers sent them marching to Concord officer promised would certainly bring them cargo. After an uneventful trip across the North tile ventures. of the Treaty of Paris. Elias never went to sea, and led to the firing of the shot "heard 'round but Salem families like the Derbys played an adventure and possibly wealth beyond their Atlantic, the ship encountered a British cutter the world." John Derby immediately sailed for imaginings. A privateer's officers and crew, as of 22 guns but fought her off in a 2-hour run­ important part in the war, and many reaped a England in Quero and reached London in late profit from privateering ventures; at war's end, well as her owner, stood to gain from capture ning battle. In the Bay of Biscay a few nights May, providing the British with the colonies' of a rich prize, for each got a percentage of later Haraden closed unobserved with another they had the resources and the will to help their side of the April 19 skirmish and the first news the total prize money. vessel his lookout thought to be more heavily town, State, and Nation gain economic stability of the war-—copies of the Essex Gazette. and their townsmen renown as merchant-seamen way, off Sandy Hook on the coast, weeks. Grand Turk navigated the treacherous shortened sail and fired a salute. From through­ they met three armed British merchantmen that Sunda Straits and entered the balmy, archipel­ out the town, people flocked to the waterfront. split up and ran. General Pickering fought and ago-studded Java Sea before passing into the Ready hands took holds of hawsers and eased captured each one singly, then brought them South China Sea. In early September she stood her into the wharf. Derby stepped aboard with into Salem—ending a voyage as profitable as into the mouth of the Pearl River and picked up other townspeople who were eager to greet the it was adventurous. a Chinese pilot at the Portuguese colony of crew and admire the curios they had brought Macao. Passing the dark, narrow peak of Lintin back. But after a few minutes Derby went below with his captain to review the manifest, join in e One of the most successful of New England's Island, she beat 60 miles up the Pearl River Revolutionary War privateersmen, Haraden is under the guidance of the pilot. Rounding a a toast to successful completion of one venture, and just possibly talk of others to come. E said to have captured more than 60 ships, final bend, Grand Turk came upon the river's mounting 1,000 guns. Other Salem captains did deepwater anchorage at Whampoa, where for­ 2 well, too. By the time John Derby brought home eign ships anchored in a line that sometimes For Derby, the wooing of the China market the Nation's first news of the signing of the stretched for 3 miles. would be short and profitable. In 1789 his ship Treaty of Paris, the privateers that the town of Astrea again carried a mixed cargo to Canton; less than 6,000 had put to sea had captured Grand Turk nosed through the sampans, their he sometimes spent a year assembling goods almost 450 vessels and had brought most of cooking fires burning astern and wafting strange for his eastern voyages—iron and hemp from them into port. However, the British fleet had smells over the teeming river. The Salem trader the Baltic, wines from France, rum from the captured more than 50 of Salem's privateers, passed large, ocean-going junks with eyes West Indies, and provisions such as flour and and many other Salem ships were lost at sea. painted on their sharp prows to spy out devils meat from American ports. He also invited Jonathan Haraden townspeople to consign goods for sale in for­ and smaller river junks manned by naked coo­ Capt. Charles Derby entered port in 1795 with eign ports. As a result, Astrea carried such odd The American merchant marine now was about lies. She berthed among vessels from Holland, Arabian coffee, starting a Salem monopoly of armed than General Pickering. Without hesi­ items as 50 boxes of chocolates, two boxes of to come of age. An independent America was Spain, France, Britain, Denmark and Sweden, the trade from Muscat and Mocha that lasted tating, Haraden brought his blacked-out ship women's shoes, 228 handkerchiefs, and a buggy not permitted by Britain to continue the pre­ all veterans of the China trade. until 1807. In 1796 Capt. Henry Prince, in alongside, took a deep breath, and bellowed a and harness. She arrived in Canton in 1789, a war practice of buying Chinese teas from Derby's Astrea //, set out to open American bluff through his speaking trumpet: he identified There she would lie for more than 3 months as year that found four other Salem vessels—three Britain's East India Company, which had an trade with the Philippines—in sugar, pepper, his ship as "an American frigate of the largest Captain West awaited the arrival of the best of them Derby's—among the 15 American ships absolute monopoly on trade between Canton indigo, and Manila hemp. class." Taken by surprise and unable to verify and England and her colonies. So practical men teas and went through the complex process anchored at Whampoa. Astrea, as a latecomer, the statement in the dark, the captain of the of selling, buying, and dealing with Chinese decided to send their own ships to Canton. A found little demand for American wares or for Through other wharves in Salem—Derby's was 22-gun British privateer Golden Eagle struck merchants through government officials. The New York financier renamed a privateer Em­ ginseng, the medicinal herb, highly prized by only one of 45 in 1801—and all along the her colors within minutes. When he came crew, meantime, overhauled and repainted the press of China and dispatched her the year the Chinese, which Americans used to open Atlantic seaboard, foreign imports—as frivolous aboard General Pickering as a prisoner of war ship. When not working they took in the sights after the signing of the Treaty of Paris. A Salem the China trade. as jungle beasts, as essential as basic metals— and learned that his ship carried more guns— of Canton, marvelling at a world where birds ship was not far behind. Manned by a crew of flowed into the , while exports and crewmen—he was furious. sang in gilded cages, where hauntingly strange 13 under Capt. Ebenezer West, Grand Turk Already Americans had begun to look for new passed into the world economy. Coasters also strains of Oriental music floated over the dark sailed for the Isle of France (Mauritius) in the wares to trade for the teas and silks in demand. loaded and unloaded at the same wharves. Several days later as General Pickering and her waters alight with flares of flaming joss paper, Indian Ocean in December 1785, carrying a A ship, Columbia, sailing from Boston but Some cargoes were sold locally, others ware­ prize neared the Spanish harbor, Haraden's where jugglers, cobblers, barbers and beggars varied cargo that Derby had been accumulating owned in part by Salem men, including John housed for later overseas ventures. In many lookouts spotted a vessel coming out under vied with merchants of fireworks, ivory, herbs —as was his method—over a number of months. Derby, discovered in 1789 that the skin of sea instances, foreign goods were stored right on heavy sail to meet them. The captain of Golden and gold for the attention—and the money—of Finding the market there depressed, Captain otters found along America's northwest coast the wharf, or just off it, in a warehouse; teas Eagle cheerfully informed Haraden that the gawking sailors. When Grand Turk finally sailed West went on to Canton. brought top value in the China trade. Boston coming in from China in May might be shipped vessel was the British privateer Achilles, mount­ for home on January 1, she carried, in addition men soon took over the business, sailing around out to Europe in November. ing 42 guns and carrying 140 men. Haraden As a privateer the 300-ton Grand Turk, carrying to sundry goods and wiser crewmen, her main Cape Horn, bartering with the Pacific Northwest replied simply: "I shan't run from her." He was 28 guns and 128 men, had captured 16 prizes cargo of 400 chests of Bohea tea that Massa­ Indians for skins. Some broke the voyage to The wharf came under the command of a determined to deliver both his sugar and his in her four voyages. But on her first trip out as chusetts ladies soon would be sampling from hunt seals off Chile or trade for sandalwood in wharfinger, or manager, appointed by its owners. prize to Bilboa. a merchant vessel she got off to a poor start. the china services also stowed belowdecks. the Hawaiian Islands, both enterprises profiting From his small office, where often a coal fire Buffeted by winter gales in the North Atlantic, them in the China trade. burned to combat the waterfront damp, he As the wind subsided, Achilles closed and then becalmed in the doldrums farther south, The sight of the Grand Turk off Bakers Island tended his complex business: charging vessels recaptured Golden Eagle, while Haraden, alert she put into Table Bay at the Cape of Good on May 22, 1787, gladdened the heart of Elias As the China market began to overflow with for loading and unloading, buying and selling to every breath of wind remaining, maneuvered Hope after 82 days at sea. Captain West re­ Derby, for his ship, and investment, were safe. American goods, so America's tea market provisions and ballast for outward bound ships, to the position from which he had chosen to ported sails split and rotted, spars sprung, and As she passed Naugus Head, Captain West became saturated. By 1790 Derby had all but auctioning incoming trade goods left on con-

"Considble Loss in the Cargo by Heads of E dropped out of the China trade, seeking com­ E Cask Swelling out." Three weeks later, after merce in other areas, and other merchants had making major repairs and selling cargo to at least slacked off. Between 1785 and 1799 E £ lighten the ship, the captain sailed across the Derby's ships made only 4 voyages to China, Indian Ocean toward the Isle of France and, 2 but 35 to the East Indies and India. Many Salem 5 within 5 weeks, dropped anchor in the open ships continued to chart courses to the Far roadstead off Port Louis. There he got his sec­ East. Derby sent his son Elias Jr. to India, ond setback, finding money scarce, local buy­ where he opened American trade with Calcutta ing power low, and little opportunity to refill his and Madras, making more money there for his hold with an outbound cargo. By July 1, after 2 father than the China trade did that year. Derby months in port, he had sold some of the goods continued to do business in Russia, a market —among them, 50 boxes of spermaceti candles opened in 1784 when his bark Light Horse and 22 boxes of prunes—and had chartered the touched at Kronstadt, the port of St. Peters­ space in his hold to a French trader who wanted burg. In 1797 Salem's Rajah arrived with to ship ebony, gold thread and betel nuts to America's first shipment of pepper from its Canton to exchange for teas. Outbound under source, Sumatra, and established Salem as the tropic skies, the lookout raised Java Head in 3 world pepper emporium for a decade to come. Derby Ship John Whampoa Anchorage, 1850 Privateer Ensign fight—inside a line of shoals that the heavier This 1797 view of Salem shows Derby Wharf with three warehouses that stored goods from the West Indies, Russia, or Canton. signment, and protecting the wharf from fire enemy could not cross. After ordering the men and the dock from being shallowed by the to be ready for battle in the morning, Haraden dumping of ballast. retired for a sound night's sleep. When finished a with their tasks, those Salem boys who could i The wharfinger worked in the center of a town's not sleep took to the rigging to watch the scene commercial activity. In the Salem of 1807, for ashore, where thousands of Spaniards spent the o example, the man in charge of Derby Wharf night before bonfires, dancing, carousing, and might have five or six vessels docked on the o shouting insults at Achilles—the representative westerly side, maintaining a brisk movement of of a nation that had dealt defeat to Spain upon U goods between them and the five warehouses the seas since the days of the Spanish Armada. ranged along the easterly length of the wharf behind an array of cargo scales, booms, On a light dawn breeze, Achilles, whose guns winches, tackle, and cordage. Other ware­ and men outnumbered General Pickering's by houses, owners' counting rooms, sailmakers' 3 to 1, crept toward the shoals. Ashore, Span­ lofts, ship chandlers' stores and retail outlets iards shouted defiance. Haraden kept his for imported goods crowded the seaward side of broadside to the approaching Achilles and Derby Street near the wharf, facing the houses maintained a raking fire upon the British of the gentry. From the back rooms of some of privateer. Since Achilles could not fire directly the waterfront buildings came the scream of ahead, she was practically defenseless. For 2 parrots, the chatter of monkeys, brought back hours shot struck hull, deck, sails, and rigging from distant shores. Sailors recently returned of the British vessel. Then with his ammunition from the Indies, Russia, Australia or China, running low Haraden ordered his sweating talked loudly on street corners, in front of gunners to load with crowbars, cargo from a boarding houses and taverns. Wagons creaked previous prize. After receiving this terrible and horses clattered over the cobblestones, volley, Achilles ran for sea on a fresh breeze. while the caulkers' mallet kept up its regular Haraden gave chase under full sail, retook tatoo. But for all activity to come up short, Golden Eagle, but could not catch the fleeing a lad out of breath after his run from The Neck Achilles, and returned to a hero's welcome in had only to shout: "An Indiaman! An Indiaman! Bilboa. Later, with cargo and prize sold, Hara­ Look to Naugus Head!" den and his men sailed for home. Along the Stratford C. Jones Salem Maritime

About Your Visit A Tour of Salem's 3 Until 1806, the wharf ended Waterfront Buildings C In the Scale House were stored here. The extension was added In 1790 Salem was the sixth weighing and measuring de­ Salem Maritime National Historic Site is on Derby I Old Waterfront to provide more deep water city of the United States, and vices used to determine value Street, Salem, 20 miles northeast of Boston. berths as the volume of ship­ the duties collected in the port of cargoes. Some of the equip­ Derby Wharf ping increased. on vessels entering from a ment is still in operation. Salem was always a busy port, foreign voyage furnished one- Groups may receive special service if advance but especially so in the years 4 Around the time this extension twentieth of all the Federal D Hawkes House was designed arrangements are made at the site. between the Revolution and the was built, more wharves were Government's revenues. by Samuel Mclntire, Salem's War of 1812. On any day a being constructed near the Salem's economy, like the great architect. Benjamin dozen vessels—schooners, mouth of the harbor to the east­ Nation's, depended on profits Hawkes, who operated a ship­ Administration brigs, and ships—might be ward. Gradually the inner har­ from shipping and trade. This yard directly across the street, o seen entering or leaving port. bor was filled in. You can see in turn supported , bought the house in 1801 and Salem Maritime National Historic Site is o Derby Wharf was the center of what is left by looking west past coastwise voyages, sailmak- completed it in its present form. administered by the National Park Service, this activity; ships alongside Central Wharf. ing, ship chandlers, rope The house is the only known U. S. Department of the Interior. A superin­ might be loading tea, fish, or walks, and a host of other privateer prize warehouse left in Salem and was used as tendent, whose address is Custom House, timber for Boston, Kingston, or 5 Wharves were built by floating maritime pursuits. Savannah. timber rafts into position, then such by Elias Hasket Derby Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970, is in sinking them with stones. Some Walking back toward the shore during the Revolution. of the oldest stonework in Der­ you will see the buildings along immediate charge. A ship standing in with the tide E Derby House, the oldest brick between Winter Island and by Wharf, dating from 1806, can Derby Street appear about as be seen at the bottom of the they did to a seaman returning dwelling in Salem, was erected Naugus Head, clews up her in 1761-62 for Elias Hasket As the Nation's principal conservation agency, courses and topgallant sails, east wall between the two mod­ to port. ern small piers. Derby, a merchant whose the Department of the Interior has responsibility rounds to off Derby Wharf, and ships later opened U.S. trade for most of our nationally owned public lands is warped in to the pier. In her with Russia, India, and the hold might be silk, iron, or pep­ 6 Beyond the islands to the east, and natural resources. This includes fostering you can see the Atlantic about Philippines, making him a per from Bombay, Kronstadt, millionaire. the wisest use of our land and water resources, or Sumatra. 5 miles away. The lighthouse on Baker's Island marks the protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the Derby Wharf was continually channel entrance. The numer­ environmental and cultural values of our busy distributing the products ous rocks helped make Salem national parks and historical places, and pro­ of world commerce. In wartime the only major American port trade was replaced by the never held by the British in the viding for the enjoyment of life through outdoor martial preparations of priva­ Revolution. recreation. The Department assesses our en­ teers and auctions of their prizes and cargoes. War or 7 Salem Harbor has a 9-foot tidal ergy and mineral resources and works to assure peace, Salem's waterfront was range. Ships docked and sailed that their development is in the best interests a scene of maritime enterprise. at high tide—and settled in the A The Custom House was built in mud when the tide was out. of all our people. The Department also has a 1819 for the officers of the cus­ West India Goods Store was 1 Derby Wharf was Salem's Most Salem vessels were small toms revenue who handled the major responsibility for American Indian reser­ and did not need very deep built in the early 1800's, by longest and busiest for many business of the port for the Fed­ Capt. Henry Prince, who lived in vation communities and for people who live in years. This section was built water. A 100-foot vessel would eral Government. Several of­ have a draft of about 10 feet. the Derby House next door. Island Territories under U.S. administration. about 1764, when the water fices are restored, including Spices and other imports are reached almost to the street at one used by Nathaniel Haw­ again sold here, and a coffee­ 8 This lighthouse, built in thorne. Above high tide. house serves varieties of 1871, was used as a range. By coffees and teas. Above 2 This warehouse is one of keeping this light in line with B The Bonded Warehouse was two remaining in Salem and the lighthouse further out ves­ used for the storage of cargoes moved to this spot for sels stayed in the channel. Oil awaiting re-export or payment tankers docking near the preservation. At one time there of customs duties. The original mouth of the harbor are the were 14 warehouses on this hoisting winch and other pieces wharf, and over 100 in Salem. only oceangoing vessels now using the port. of equipment are still in place, and tea chests, rum barrels, and other typical cargoes can I be seen.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Site, Massachusetts