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The maritime fur trade was a ship-based fur trade system that focused on acquiring furs of sea otters and other animals from the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and natives of Alaska. The furs were mostly sold in China in exchange for tea, silks, porcelain, and other Chinese goods, which were then sold in Europe and the United States. The maritime fur trade was pioneered by Russians, working east from Kamchatka along the Aleutian Islands to the southern coast of Alaska. British and Americans entered during the 1780s, focusing on what is now the coast of British Columbia. The trade boomed around the beginning of the 19th century. A long period of decline began in the 1810s. As the sea otter population was depleted, the maritime fur trade diversified and transformed, tapping new markets and commodities, while continuing to focus on the Northwest Coast and China. It lasted until the middle to late 19th century. Russians controlled most of the coast of what is now Alaska during the entire era. The coast south of Alaska endured fierce competition between, and among, British and American trading vessels. The British were the first to operate in the southern sector, but were unable to compete against the Americans, who dominated from the 1790s to the 1830s. The British Hudson's Bay Company entered the coast trade in the 1820s with the intention of driving the Americans away. This was accomplished by about 1840. In its late period, the maritime fur trade was largely conducted by the British Hudson's Bay Company and the Russian-American Company. The term "maritime fur trade" was coined by historians to distinguish the coastal, ship-based fur trade from the continental, land-based fur trade of, for example, the North West Company and American Fur Company. Historically, the maritime fur trade was not known by that name, rather it was usually called the "North West Coast trade" or "North West Trade". The term "North West" was rarely spelled as the single word "Northwest", as is common today. The maritime fur trade brought the Pacific Northwest coast into a vast, new international trade network, centered on the north Pacific Ocean, global in scope, and based on capitalism, but not, for the most part, on colonialism. A triangular trade network emerged linking the Pacific Northwest coast, China, the Hawaiian Islands (only recently discovered by the Western world), Britain, and the United States (especially New England). The trade had a major effect on the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest coast, especially the Aleut, Sugpiaq, Tlingit, Haida, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Chinook peoples. A rapid increase of wealth occurred among the Northwest Coast natives, along with increased warfare, potlatching, slaving, and depopulation due to epidemic disease. However, the indigenous culture was not overwhelmed by rapid change, but actually flourished. For instance, the importance of totems and traditional nobility crests increased,〔For more on the use of crests on the North West Coast, see: 〕 and the Chinook Jargon, which remains a distinctive aspect of Pacific Northwest culture, was developed during this era. Native Hawaiian society was similarly affected by the sudden influx of Western wealth and technology, as well as epidemic diseases. The trade's effect on China and Europe was minimal, but for New England, the maritime fur trade and the significant profits it made helped revitalize the region, contributing to its transformation from an agrarian to an industrial society. The wealth generated by the maritime fur trade was invested in industrial development, especially textile manufacturing. The New England textile industry in turn had a large effect on slavery in the United States, increasing the demand for cotton and helping make possible the rapid expansion of the cotton plantation system across the Deep South. The most profitable furs were those of sea otters, especially the northern sea otter, ''Enhydra lutris kenyoni'', which inhabited the coastal waters between the Columbia River in the south to the Aleutian Islands in the north.The sea otter was the most hunted during the Maritime Fur Trade during the 17th and 18th century. Sea otters possess a thicker fur than any other mammal, and the sea otter’s habit of grooming their coat prevents molting. The reason for their exploitation was due to this ‘dark () and silver tipped fur’.〔Vasilii N. Berkh. A Chronological History of the Discovery of the Aleutian Islands or The Exploits of Russian Merchants. Transl. Dmitri Krenov. Edit. Richard A. Pierce. Materials for the study of Alaskan History, No.5. Limestone Press. Kingston, Ontario. P.79〕 The popluarity and demand in fashion of sea otter pelts in China was one of the reasons why it was hunted to the point of disappearance. These mammals of the Pacific are currently ‘listed as Threatened under the Canadian Species at Risk Act ’.〔Edward J. Gregr, Linda M. Nichol, Jane C. Watson, John K. B. Ford and Graeme M. Ellis. Estimating Carrying Capacity for Sea Otters in British Columbia. Pub. Wiley on behalf of the Wildlife Society.The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 72, No. 2 (Feb., 2008). P. 382〕 Sea otter distribution extends from the north of Japan all the way to the vicinity of Cedros Island, Mexico. The species stayed approximately within the arc of the Northern Pacific until the pressure of the Maritime Trade forced them to move north. The start of their decline with the first Russian expeditions in this region. Aleut hunter were the providers of the skins to the Russians, they became ‘the main purveyor of prime otter skins to Russian traders and American adventurers’.〔Arthur Woodward. Sea Otter Hunting on the Pacific Coast. Publ. University of California Press on behalf of the Historical Society of Southern California. The Quarterly: Historical Society of Southern California, Vol. 20, No. 3 (SEPTEMBER,1938).P.120〕 Before the exploitation of these mammals, their population ranged from 150,000 to 300, 000. Sea otters are ‘slow breeders, only one sometimes two pups () being born at a time’ which does not help the population when being pursued.〔Arthur Woodward. Sea Otter Hunting on the Pacific Coast. Publ. University of California Press on behalf of the Historical Society of Southern California. The Quarterly: Historical Society of Southern California, Vol. 20, No. 3 (SEPTEMBER,1938).P.129〕 The Chinese sought this mammal’s fur due to its great commercial value and its ‘prime coat’ all year long. The pelt was used by the wealthy Chinese as clothing decoration (robe trimming) and the Russians used it as an ornamental piece. The other furs that were sent to Europe and America were changed to ‘coat collars or hats’.〔Web- Alaska History and Cultural Studies〕 Due to this great demand and worth of the sea otters pelt, the Russian-America Company (RAC) annual expenses was around 1000,000 rubles each year and profited over 500,000 rubles per year.〔 The fur of the Californian southern sea otter, ''E. l. nereis'', was less highly prized and thus less profitable. After the northern sea otter was hunted to local extinction, maritime fur traders shifted to California until the southern sea otter was likewise nearly extinct.〔(Fur trade ), Northwest Power & Conservation Council〕 The British and American maritime fur traders took their furs to the Chinese port of Guangzhou (Canton), where they worked within the established Canton system. Furs from Russian America were mostly sold to China via the Mongolian trading town of Kyakhta, which had been opened to Russian trade by the 1727 Treaty of Kyakhta. ==Origins== The Pacific Northwest was one of the last significant nonpolar regions in the world to be explored by the Europeans. Centuries of reconnaissance and conquest had brought the rest of North America within the claims of imperial powers. During the late 18th and early 19th century a number of empires and commercial systems converged upon the Northwest Coast, by sea as well as by land across the continent. The Russian and Spanish empires were extended into the region simultaneously, from opposite directions. Russian fur companies expanded into North America along the Aleutian Islands, reaching the Fox Islands and the Alaska Peninsula in the early 1760s. Kodiak Island was discovered in 1763 by Stepan Gavrilovich Glotov.〔 In 1768, an expedition was carried out by the Russian Navy, under Pyotr Krenitsyn and Mikhail Levashev. Two ships sailed from Kamchatka to the Alaska Peninsula for the purpose of assessing the existing Russian activity and the possibilities of future development.〔Haycox, pp. 58–62〕 Reports about the voyage, meant to be kept secret, spread through Europe and caused alarm in Spain. The Spanish government, already concerned about Russian activity in Alaska, decided to colonize Alta California and sent exploratory voyages to Alaska to assess the threat and strengthen Spanish claims of sovereignty on coast north of Mexico.〔 The province of Alta California was established by José de Gálvez in 1769, just as the Krenitsyn-Levashev expedition was concluding. Five separate expeditions were dispatched to Alta California in 1769. By 1782, presidios had been established at San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, linked by a series of mission stations along the coast.〔 Spanish exploration voyages to the far north were launched in 1774, 1775, and 1779.〔 In 1784, the center of Russian activity shifted east to Kodiak Island and hunting operations were extended into Cook Inlet.〔 The two empires seemed destined to clash, but before direct Russian-Spanish contact was made new powers appeared on the Northwest Coast—Britain and the United States. When the clash came, at Nootka Sound in 1789, it was not between Spain and Russia but between Spain and Britain.〔 The British first reached the region by sea in 1778, during James Cook's third voyage, and by land in 1793, when Alexander Mackenzie's transcontinental explorations reached the Pacific. The first British maritime fur trader, James Hanna, arrived on the Northwest Coast in 1785. The first American traders, Robert Gray and John Kendrick, arrived by sea in 1788.〔Laut, pp. 55-58〕 The Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived overland in 1805.〔(Lewis and Clark Timeline 1805 ), LewisAndClarkTrail.com〕 The early maritime fur traders were explorers, as well as traders. The Northwest Coast is very complex — a "labyrinth of waters", according to George Simpson— with thousands of islands, numerous straits and fjords, and a mountainous, rocky, and often very steep shoreline. Navigational hazards included persistent rain, high winds, thick fogs, strong currents, and tides, and hidden rocks. Wind patterns were often contrary, variable, and baffling, especially within the coastal straits and archipelagoes, which makes sailing dangerous.〔 Early explorations before the maritime fur trade era—by Juan Pérez, Bruno de Heceta, Bogeda y Quadra, and James Cook—produced only rough surveys of the coast's general features. Detailed surveys were undertaken in only a few relatively small areas, such as Nootka Sound, Bucareli Bay, and Cook Inlet.〔Hayes (1999), pp. 35–45〕 Russian exploration before 1785 had produced mainly rough surveys, largely restricted to the Aleutian Islands and mainland Alaska west of Cape Saint Elias.〔Hayes (1999), pp. 29–32, 52–53, 63, 66〕 British and American maritime fur traders began visiting the Northwest Coast in 1785, at which time it was mostly unexplored. Although noncommercial exploration voyages continued, especially by the Spanish Navy,〔Hayes (1999), pp. 67–81〕 the maritime fur traders made a number of significant discoveries. Notable examples include the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Clayoquot Sound, and Barkley Sound, all found by Charles William Barkley, Queen Charlotte Strait by James Strange, Fitz Hugh Sound by James Hanna, Grays Harbor and the Columbia River by Robert Gray. George Dixon explored the Dixon Entrance and was the first to realize that the Queen Charlotte Islands were not part of the mainland.〔Hayes (1999), pp. 55–58, 62, 82〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「maritime fur trade」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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