It must be admitted that Genet would have had an easy task, had he had but the people to reckon with.The war had hardly proceeded two years when it was formally declared in the House of Commons that the losses to American america mortgage quote privateers amounted to seven hundred and thirty three ships, of a value of over $11,000,000.There followed dull times for the privateersmen.It was a bloody hand to hand contest that followed, in which every america mortgage quote weapon, from cutlass and clubbed musket down to bare hands, was employed.These were generally great packets trading to the Indies, whose cargoes were too valuable to be delayed until some man of war could be found for their protection.The capture of one of these vessels, too, was the cause of annoyance to the enemy disproportionate to even their great value to their captors, for they not only carried the Royal Mail, but were usually the agencies by america mortgage quote which the dispatches of the British general were forwarded.As a result, it became hard to get young men of spirit into the patriot armies.Eustachia, laden with sugar and tobacco, and bound to america mortgage quote London.Some were mere pilot boats, with a Long Tom amidships and a crew of sixty men others were vessels of 300 tons, with an armament and crew like a man of war.Our bill of fare was as follows On Sunday, one pound of biscuit, one pound of pork, and half a pint of peas Monday, one pound of biscuit, one pint of oatmeal, america mortgage quote and two ounces of butter Tuesday, one pound of biscuit and two pounds of salt beef, etc.Instead, however, of opening fire with his broadside, the enemy sent out boarding parties america mortgage quote in five boats.When the British began sending out two ships of war with each convoy, the privateers cruised in threes, and the same tactics were observed.Very speedily the privateersmen became the most prosperous and the most picturesque figures along the waterside of the Atlantic america mortgage quote cities.Many drifted down to that region of romance and outlawry, dear to the heart of the romantic boy, the Spanish Main, and there, as pirates in a small way and as buccaneers, pursued the predatory life.