[p. 54]
Old ships and ship-building days of Medford.
Chapter 4: 1
After the
War of 1812, the northwest fur trade gradually declined for various reasons, the gradual extermination of the sea otter and competition by the
British and
Russians being the principal ones.
By this time, cotton manufacturing, encouraged by the embargoes and by the
War of 1812, and later by a protective tariff, had increased enormously and a considerable amount was sent to the
Far East as cargo.
There was more specie in the country by this time, too, and this could be sent.
The trade in sandal-wood was also developed.
Previously the sandal-wood had been preserved almost religiously, but on the death of King Kamehameha, his son, Likoliko, who succeeded him, proceeded to realize on this preserve and stripped his domain, which he bartered for liquor, clothes and vessels.
For several years it proved a very lucrative trade until the supply was exhausted and a drug on the
Canton market.
The brig
Thaddeus, commanded by
Capt. A. Blanchard of
Medford, carrying the first missionaries, had landed at the
Hawaiian Islands.
Captain William Hall of
Medford, who afterwards commanded several
Medford ships, made his first voyage as cabin boy on the
Thaddeus and wrote home a vivid account of the landing.
They were received by the chiefs and dignitaries, who were arrayed in miscellaneous feminine apparel which an enterprising trader had bartered a short time previously.
The
Jones and the
Tamahourelaune were built in
Medford and sold in
Hawaii for sandal-wood.
The History of
Medford says they were taken apart and sent out in the
Thaddeus, but this is probably incorrect, as
Morison in an article on the
Hawaiian trade gives reliable evidence that they were
sailed round.
2 The
Jones was renamed the
Inore.
