Kaparverksamheten i Göteborg och Marstrand 1808-1814.

Redare och borgenärer

Abstract

Privateers have been used as part of maritime warfare for centuries.  As late as the early years of the 19th century, Sweden used privateers during the Napoleonic wars, when in conflict with Denmark-Norway. In Swedish research only the military contribution has been discussed, and then as complementary to the navy for its lack of ships and for assistance in observations in coastal waters, but also as a means of starving the opponent through trade blockades. This article will focus on another side of the privateers´part, i e as economic actors. The privateers are discussed from state formation perspective as well as interstate competition in a fight for trade and trade routes. The article concentrates on the privateering activities in Gothenburg and Marstrand 1809 - 1814 and investigates who applied for a commission to fit out and arm a ship to capture enemy ships. The article further considers who joined as part owners, who were creditors and how the distribution of costs and profits were distributed between ship owners, creditors and ships´ crews. Also the reasons why Sweden chose to make use of privateers 1809 - 1814 are deliberated. The result clearly indicates that the state had a keen interest in using the privateers and that there was a national profit as well as a private to gain, even if the privateering was entailed with considerable (high) risks.