Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "smugglers"

Smugglers, Pirates, and Patriots: Free Trade in the Age of Revolution by Tyson Reeder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The War for Independence in the American colonies during the second half of the eighteenth century issued in a new age, one that has become known as the Age of Revolution. That conflict inspired other nations to seek freedom from tyranny as well, and in the first decades of the following century, republicans in the United States felt that one way to fight against monarchies and their empires was through free trade. This is the focus of this book, which shows the interconnections between smugglers, pirates, and patriots, especially as it relates to the way Brazil gained its independence from Portugal in the nineteenth century.

The book is divided into four parts: Negotiating Empire, Regulation and Revolution, A Liberty of Trade, and “Connexions of Commerce and Liberation.” What soon becomes clear is that those who advocated free trade did so not just to help others achieve independence but to also influence the growth of commerce in ways that were to their best advantage. Americans believed their model was the right one, but not everyone agreed, and this is best shown in the struggle between Brazil and Portugal, especially since during part of the nineteenth century, the Portuguese monarch resided in Brazil and, in the end, the Brazilians chose a monarch over a president.

These struggles focus on both commercial changes and networks, as well as politics. Empires instituted a number of laws and edicts to limit trade, which then resulted in the growth of smuggling contraband. When the monarchy chose to lift some, if not all, of these restrictions, free trade prospered and smuggling died. This plays a crucial role in why history unfolds as it did in Brazil, as Reeder aptly demonstrates. He provides numerous examples of commodities, both illicit and legal, such as wine, sugar, gold, flour, and slaves. Aside from smugglers, pirates and privateers are also discussed, in particular those who sailed under letters of marque from the revolutionary leader José Gervasio Artigas. Since his government never acquired recognition from other nations, these men plied their trade in the murkiness of legal privateer or illegal pirate.

Scattered throughout the book are maps, graphs, tables, and illustrations to show points Reeder makes in the narrative. The Notes section provides citations for sources consulted or quoted, as well as additional information on particular topics mentioned in the main text. The extensive bibliography lists manuscript collections in Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States; newspapers and periodicals; primary sources; and published works. There is also an index.

Readers with a special interest in Brazil and its relationships with the early United States, as well as those seeking information on maritime commerce, will find this book particularly interesting. Those seeking a rousing account of maritime piracy and privateering may want to look elsewhere. Reeder does discuss both throughout the narrative, especially in chapter eight, and does mention North African corsairs (91) and the suppression of piracy in the 1820s (211), but his primary focus is on trade, traders, and trade networks and their effects on the shaping of Brazil as it strove toward independence. He does an excellent job of providing readers with a good understanding of the Monroe Doctrine and how it evolved.




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A Time to Fight: A Novel of the Battle of Goudhurst, 1747 by John Aubin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Once a Grenadier in the Royal Army, Will Sturt returns home to Goudhurst, England, after four years of fighting. Much has changed, but so has he. His ailing mother resides in the poor house. Smugglers terrorize the town. The law is either afraid or in the pay of the smugglers; the army is stretched too thin and dealing with a threat of invasion to the north. Will knows the troublemakers; the Kingsmill brothers, who lead the Hawkhurst Gang, tormented him as a child. After the murder of his friend’s father-in-law, he is no longer willing to back away from a fight. Not everyone supports his plan to end the rape, pillaging, and maiming and they urge him to stop riling the smugglers. Only a handful of brave, but untrained, men and women step forward. One is taken, tortured, and returned with a message: cease and desist or face the consequences in three days: 21 April 1747.

This fictional account of the Battle of Goudhurst encapsulates a mere ten days, yet what these courageous people achieve has real lasting effects. The story begins with an overabundance of description, but once the murder occurs, the pace picks up and the tale becomes a race against time. Story threads are neatly tied up, but the narrative contains numerous formatting errors, duplicate words, unnecessary repetition, and missing punctuation. The novel’s strengths are the arresting account of the preparations, training, fighting, and aftermath of what happened, and the way Aubin breathes life into the real people who defend their town. Perhaps most interesting is the afterword, which reveals the history behind the novel.

(This review originally appeared Historical Novels Review (Issue 103, February 2023) at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...)




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The Admiral's Daughter by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Peace does not bode well for Thomas Kydd in 1803, because he stands adrift on English soil since his return from Australia. Although pressed into the Royal Navy, it has become his life and he desperately wants to return to its fold. The peace, however, is tenuous and the powers that be in London have decided it is better to declare war anew first rather than allow Napoleon Bonaparte to proceed with his plan to dominate the world. Kydd receives a summons to appear in Plymouth, but by the time he arrives there, the admiral has few ships to offer him. He opts for one that he knows well, HM Sloop Teazer, his last command. He also secures permission for Nicholas Renzi, now a civilian, to accompany him aboard Teazer as his secretary. (A position that allows Renzi time to work on his study of natural philosophy with an aim to write a book that will shed new light on this topic.)

As the ship is readied for duty, Kydd must hurriedly set sail with less-than-a-full complement for France. It is vital that British citizens leave before Napoleon learns of the imminent declaration of war. But it is a race against time because Napoleon has already issued arrest orders for any English found in France. Through luck and ingenuity, Kydd and most of his crew escape aboard Teazer with their rescued passengers.

After returning to his new home base at Plymouth, Kydd meets with his commander, Admiral Sir Reginald Lockwood. He is in charge of protecting the coast of England, and Kydd is assigned to patrol from Weymouth to the Isles of Scilly. His primary task is to stop enemy privateers and warships from attacking coastal vessels. Secondary duties include delivering dispatches, important passengers, and unusual cargo to wherever they may be needed, as well as to work with the Revenue to stop smugglers. This is Kydd’s first time to sail in home waters, so there is a learning curve to master, and the chance for fame and glory is minimal. But this assignment allows him to be in total command, away from the watchful eye of superiors.

Privileges and responsibilities come with his new command, some of which find him not at sea but on land. As an officer in command of his own vessel, he is expected to have a real home and to entertain . . . at least this is what his sister Cecila tells him. He also needs to look to his attire; he must have suitable civilian fashion to mix and mingle at social affairs. At one of these parties, he meets Persephone Lockwood, the admiral’s daughter. They are attracted to each other, even though her family has ties to the royal court. Two problems arise as their relationship grows serious: her mother is determined to separate the lovers, and a sojourn with Renzi brings someone new, who quickly becomes an obsession, into Kydd’s life.

This eighth volume in the Kydd Sea Adventures offers readers a wealth of experiences rarely encountered in other naval adventures (a tour of Plymouth Dockyard, what occurs when a ship is caught in a ground sea, and a church service at sea). His nemeses this time around are himself, a brutal French privateer whose knowledge of England’s coast is beyond remarkable, and a mystery man who has organized the smugglers over a wide region in ways that allow them to evade capture. There is a nail-biting chase that results in a difficult choice. There are several confrontations with Renzi, one that threatens to dissolve their friendship once and for all. A dangerous mission results in friendly fire from a frigate off a treacherous section of the French coast. Someone from Kydd’s past provides surreptitious clues about how smugglers work and ventures undercover into their perilous enterprise. Readers experience the frustrating futility that Kydd and his men do as they watch a merchant ship wreck and are unable to rescue her crew. There is the promise of retribution to come, as well as devastating grief. The Admiral’s Daughter is a blend of highs and lows that will affect each reader in different ways. It is consummate storytelling that is not to be missed.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)




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