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Subject: Merchant Shipping

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Copy of Instructions to Capt. Thomas Folger of the Brig Lydia on a Whaling Voyage, 1775Copy of Instructions to Capt. Thomas Folger of the Brig Lydia on a Whaling Voyage, 1775

A four-page letter, dated 1775, detailing instructions for a whaling voyage to the Falkland Islands and off the coast of Brazil. Written by Aaron Lopez to Captain Thomas Folger, the letter provides navigational advice, warnings about encountering other ships, and hints at the abundance of whales in the targeted areas. The letter also reveals the extensive network of contacts Aaron Lopez maintained across various locations such as the Falkland Islands, the West Indies, Madeira, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Cadiz, and Barbados. This document originates from Newport, Rhode Island.

Letter from Daniel Cornell to Aaron Lopez, September 3, 1770Letter from Daniel Cornell to Aaron Lopez, September 3, 1770

A one-page letter dated September 3, 1770, from Captain Daniel Cornell to Aaron Lopez in Newport, Rhode Island. Cornell describes the progress of his mercantile voyage to Quebec, Canada, mentioning difficulties with bad weather and necessary repairs to his ship's sails. The letter contains an indirect comment possibly alluding to a slave shipment ('will strive as fast as possible considering our Interest'). A postscript requests updates on his wife's and Mr. Gardner's son's well-being.