Introduction

Developments in the success and failure of Dutch whaling activities in the early years of the nineteenth century were discussed in the previous chapter. Here, the international context of Dutch whaling and sealing initiatives will be described. The activities on Southern and Arctic whaling grounds, undertaken by a fair number of whaling companies, were financially supported by the government. The nature of the premium system developed and introduced under the aegis of King Willem I will be discussed. To this effect, the municipal archives of Harlingen provide a wealth of data on the day-today operational nature of the premium system. Though referring to the local situation in Harlingen during the 1820s through the 1850s (more specifically in the years 1826-1855), these sources relate more general developments nationwide and, therefore, may be taken to exemplify the premium system. For instance, the municipal records reflect the procedures whaling companies had to undergo in order to be eligible for subsidies and reveal which parties were involved in granting these subsidies.

International developments in the nineteenth century

Britain

Dutch whaling activities faced a dramatic decline during the last two decades of the eighteenth century. During this time, Dutch whalers had lost their competitive edge with their main rivals, the British. This, among other reasons, was caused by an inadequate, even redundant system of subsidies. It took the States General many years to realise that whaling had to be financially supported, if it were to remain an important source for labour and revenues. It was not until 1778 that a premium system was introduced. By then, however, British whalemen were omnipresent in the Arctic. During the 1730s and 1740s, London sent out a mere four ships per annum. After 1750, when the government granted bounties of 40 shillings per ton, a truly remarkable growth in the number of ships equipped for whaling started. In the 1750s, the port of London annually fitted out about 50 ships on average. In 1785, no fewer that 78 ships left the capital's port and set sail for Spitsbergen.

In 1789, the English whaleship Emilia, owned by Samuel Enderby, one of the most important merchant-entrepreneurs of his time, was the first whaler to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific Ocean.