The Americans in the South Seas

American ships enter the early history of New South Wales as both welcome suppliers and unwelcome competitors in Louis Becke’s historical essay. A struggling settlement at Sydney Cove needs food, while British officials hesitate over accepting help from foreign vessels. Becke follows the growth of American involvement in Pacific whaling and sealing, including the skills American whalemen brought to British crews.

Official correspondence, trade restrictions and disputes between captains give the account its particular texture. Governor King’s orders concerning boat building and departing passengers reveal how commercial activity collided with the controls of a penal colony. The essay also recounts a sealer’s report of a brutal attack arising from competition over valuable skins. Readers interested in maritime commerce will find an account of the practical bargains and conflicts behind colonial expansion, told in a conversational voice that often comments sharply on official language.