Risk in the Anglo-Atlantic World: The American Ship John Jay, the HMS Driver, and the Napoleonic Wars

Using the experiences of the American ship, John Jay, and the British warship HMS Driver, this book recounts the various hazards faced by U.S. neutral trade vessels during the Napoleonic Wars. The John Jay's sixth voyage (1804-1806) serves as a conduit to examine political and legal issues faced by United States neutral vessels navigating uncertain seas made worse by the volatility of the Napoleonic Wars. While the Driver and the John Jay reflected their respective nation's perspectives and identity, together they illustrate the ambiguities of the times in which they sailed. Their actions, and the consequences of those actions, intentional and unintentional, represented continuity in the Anglo-Atlantic. Situating the ship within the larger geopolitical world, Catherine Osborne DeCesare traces the history of the John Jay to demonstrate how Americans were impacted by the natural hazards of wind, weather, and water; by the economic difficulties of maritime trade during wartime; and by the complexity and ambiguity of domestic policy, international relations, and war. The global conflict between Britain and France led to the seizure of the John Jay as a prize of war, the subsequent Vice Admiralty case in Bermuda, and an appeal to the High Court of Admiralty in London. This work makes visible the struggles and risks faced by ordinary people during the nineteenth century. Although the U.S. broke its imperial ties with Britain, this history illustrates continuity in the Anglo-Atlantic World.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Mutiny on the Bay: Chaos and Confusion on Narragansett Bay 2. Strong Gales and Squally: The Ocean and Logistical Challenges 3. The John Jay Sails into a Political Storm: Circumventing Crisis in Europe and On the High Seas 4. A Strange Sail in Sight: HMS Driver Captures the American Ship John Jay 5. Hazards on the Homefront: British Naval Patrols in US Territorial Waters 6. Prize of War: Vice Admiralty Court Trial in Bermuda and the Appeal in London 7. Hardships and Personal Perils: Physical and Economic Risks for Americans and British Conclusion Bibliography Index About the Author

About the Author :
Catherine Osborne DeCesare is Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Rhode Island, USA.

Review :
Catherine DeCesare has produced an excellent book using the microcosm of the merchant ship John Jay to demonstrate that the maritime world of the early nineteenth-century did not exude our modern concepts of freedom of navigation, free trade, and rights of neutrality. Her outstanding scholarship places the crew of the John Jay at sea as the United States struggled to define its place amongst the waring giants of Europe, and personalizes the hardships placed on those who truly experienced the “rights of neutrals”. A must read for anyone interested in maritime history, the early American Republic and the War of 1812. Exquisitely researched and beautifully written, Risk in the Anglo-Atlantic World explains the human experience and legal complexities of Early Republic maritime life and commerce in the Atlantic World. Drawing on her unparalleled knowledge of manuscript sources from Rhode Island's Brown Family Business Records, DeCesare artfully engages with current Atlantic World historiography through the integration of the local, national, and international aspects of the time period. Setting a new standard for maritime microhistory, this book is essential reading for any student, scholar, or enthusiast of New England and North American maritime history.