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Author Topic: Privateers: Barrett's and others
Contrarian
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6477

posted 25 February 2005 01:15 PM      Profile for Contrarian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Apparently Daniel Pipes mused recently that perhaps the US governmet should revive the practice of issuing letters of marque. Here is a wonderful response by Jonathan Dresner, a professor of East Asian History at the University of Hawaii Link here.:
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.

From: pretty far west | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged
Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214

posted 25 February 2005 04:34 PM      Profile for Tommy_Paine     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yar, ye speak the truth, sez I.

That song by the way, is part of the stock repitoire of a guy who preforms regularly at "The Brass Door" Irish Pub on King Street in London. It's a rousing tune. Goddamn them all!

I wanted Letters of Marque from the Canadian Government during the Turbot Wars. Fortunately, the pet store let me return the parrot when that fell through.

Arrr.


From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
arborman
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4372

posted 26 February 2005 11:29 PM      Profile for arborman     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
What a foolish idea. There isn't a country in the world more locked into nautical trade than the United States. The last thing they would need is for an enemy state (i.e. North Korea) to start issuing letters of marque for US shipping.

A legal precedent, a few zodiacs, and the US suddenly has to escort every ship on the ocean or their economy collapses.

Of course, I would expect no less from Pipes. Presumably he assumes that the US would be the only people with the balls to create privateers - a traditionally asymmetrical form of warfare. Idiot.


From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Contrarian
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6477

posted 28 February 2005 12:47 AM      Profile for Contrarian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
bumped because it links to a darned good read
From: pretty far west | Registered: Jul 2004  |  IP: Logged

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