Risk in the Anglo-Atlantic World - by Catherine Osborne Decesare (Hardcover)

About the Book

Tracing the micro-history of the John Jay through legal records, this book illustrates the political and legal challenges faced by U.S. maritime businesses in the Atlantic during the Napoleonic Wars.

Book Synopsis

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 Driverand 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 Jayto 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 Jayas 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.

Review Quotes

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.
J. Ross Dancy, Associate Provost for Research, U.S. Naval War College, USA

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.
John Jensen, Professor of Maritime History and Cultural Heritage, University of West Florida, USA

About the Author

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