quote:
...Privateering -- licensing private individuals to carry out pirate attacks (not defend from them, as Pipes has it) -- was often effective, relatively safe, a cheap and easy way of crippling the economy of an enemy nation in time of war. It was a very prominent feature of 18th century Atlantic wars. But its time has come and gone, you can be sure. At least, I hope so.... The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,
(How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags (Chorus)
I suppose that Pipes is considering not economic warfare, but something more akin to the filibusters which carried out unauthorized but very effective destabilizing attacks on Latin American and Caribbean governments. The purpose of Pipes' Privateers would be, I'm guessing, to operate private counter-terrorism operations. OK, but why would they? Letters of Marque were profit-making licenses: privateers didn't attack warships or break blockades, but seized and sold cargoes...
...Stan Rogers' song is a product of the 1970s, but Rogers himself was so steeped in the history and lore of the Canadian coast that he got almost everything right. Not only is the music hauntingly shanty-like (and his live rendition of it lusty and bold), but he captured -- with satirical twist -- the essence of privateering. See the detailed discussions of the song's background here (with full lyrics), here (with excellent citations), and here (line-by-line discussion).
Posted by Jonathan Dresner on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 3:04 AM...
I won't quote more because you should read the whole thing.