And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Would need to know the year, but whale oil was my guess too. But by the time that photography was becoming common, petroleum was rapidly replacing whale oil. -Aggie
I read somewhere that kerosene for lamps became popular during the Civil War when whale oil became hard to find due to Confederate raiders hitting the whaler fleet.
It wasn't just the raiders. By then, whales were starting to get scarce because of the sheer numbers being killed for their oil, which was increasingly in demand - and whalers were having to set sail for longer distances and much longer voyages to find them, and return. - Aggie
Interestingly, whale oil continued to be used as a matter of preference after petroleum refining became fairly common and sophisticated, not just for lamp kerosene but for lubricants. Whale was specified for transfer case and axle fluids for some of the heavy military machinery in WWI, for instance. I've been told that you put it in and seal it up, for life.
Virtually everything they needed for the voyage, wet or dry, and everything they brought back, was packed in barrels, because [1] handling was easier when you could roll the packing; and [2] the barrels float, so if your craft sank, you had life buoys, but also you could transfer them over to another boat, just all around more doable without cranes and conveyor belts and fork lifts.
The barrels shown hold 43 gallons. This is the same size as the English beer barrel, although they use the Imperial system so those barrels hold 36 Imperial gallons. Today, 153 years after this photo was taken, the volume unit for the petroleum industry is still the same 43 gallon barrel.
Whale oil.
ReplyDeleteLord Nelson?
ReplyDeletePrince Albert?
ReplyDelete"Do you have Prince Albert in a can? You do, well better let him out."
DeleteMy rum allotment for the week
ReplyDeleteWould need to know the year, but whale oil was my guess too. But by the time that photography was becoming common, petroleum was rapidly replacing whale oil. -Aggie
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that kerosene for lamps became popular during the Civil War when whale oil became hard to find due to Confederate raiders hitting the whaler fleet.
DeleteIt wasn't just the raiders. By then, whales were starting to get scarce because of the sheer numbers being killed for their oil, which was increasingly in demand - and whalers were having to set sail for longer distances and much longer voyages to find them, and return. - Aggie
DeleteScotch Whisky!
ReplyDelete(I can dream, can't I?)
Bayouwulf
Freeze-dried slaves
ReplyDeleteSend them back, it doesn't turn out well.
Deletemany "dry" goods were also packed in barrels for shipping. salt beef or pork.
ReplyDeleteOil.
ReplyDeleteSpecifically, whale oil.
Delete"Whaling ships and oil casks, New Bedford MA, 1870"
timetoeatthedogs.com/2008/09/01/book-review-trying-leviathan/
Interestingly, whale oil continued to be used as a matter of preference after petroleum refining became fairly common and sophisticated, not just for lamp kerosene but for lubricants. Whale was specified for transfer case and axle fluids for some of the heavy military machinery in WWI, for instance. I've been told that you put it in and seal it up, for life.
DeleteThe Space Industry lives on Sperm Whale head oil. It doesn't freeze or vaporize in zero atmosphere like almost every other lubricant does.
DeleteFresh water...
ReplyDeleteFlat land in background suggests island rum.
ReplyDeleteCould be rosin or other “naval stores.”
ReplyDeleteNope. Whale oil.
DeletePort wine for export
ReplyDeleteSalt Water Taffy. No doubt at all.
ReplyDeleteVirtually everything they needed for the voyage, wet or dry, and everything they brought back, was packed in barrels, because [1] handling was easier when you could roll the packing; and [2] the barrels float, so if your craft sank, you had life buoys, but also you could transfer them over to another boat, just all around more doable without cranes and conveyor belts and fork lifts.
ReplyDeleteThat's the most believable reply on this page! Thanks!!!
DeleteThe barrels shown hold 43 gallons. This is the same size as the English beer barrel, although they use the Imperial system so those barrels hold 36 Imperial gallons. Today, 153 years after this photo was taken, the volume unit for the petroleum industry is still the same 43 gallon barrel.
ReplyDeleteDrew458
A petroleum 'barrel' is 42 gallons. - Aggie
Deletestudy the use and design of wooden barrels.
ReplyDelete