Conflict on the Waters with Whalers

In addition to the many dangers whalers faced from mother nature, privateers posed a serious threat to whaling ships and their cargo. Due to the market value of whale products, privateers were naturally inclined to prey on whale ships, which could be devastating to the profitability of a voyage. However, not all privateering was done for private monetary interests. During times of conflict, some nations would employ private ships to attack a specific country's ships by giving them Letters of Marque. With these letters the privateers essentially had a license to plunder specific ships without fear of repercussions from their country of employment. By hiring privateers, warring nations were able to wreak havoc on each other's economies in hopes of deteriorating their ability to fight. One of the largest industries in many countries during the 19th century was whaling, which made it a prime target for privateers looking to disrupt trade.