The
Slavery in Nantes : Nantes, main French
pole of the slave trade.
of
corsairs"
was opposed to Nantes, "the city of slave traders".
Indeed, Nantes was the "slave traders city", the big French pole of the slave trade, and one of the main traffic poles of men exportation (slaves) from the coasts of black Africa to the islands of tropical America.
The quantitative analysis of the slave trade phenomenon was widened in the 1960's. It enables to assess the phenomenon with a limited margin of error: between 1703 and 1831, Nantes equipped at least 1753 slave ships (including 1336 ships only during the 18th century, between 1703 and 1793), that is to say 43% of the whole
Indeed, Nantes was the "slave traders city", the big French pole of the slave trade, and one of the main traffic poles of men exportation (slaves) from the coasts of black Africa to the islands of tropical America.
The quantitative analysis of the slave trade phenomenon was widened in the 1960's. It enables to assess the phenomenon with a limited margin of error: between 1703 and 1831, Nantes equipped at least 1753 slave ships (including 1336 ships only during the 18th century, between 1703 and 1793), that is to say 43% of the whole
French
slave equipment, almost one out of two.
Considering a likely total of 450,000 black people "treated" (bought and took on board) from the coast of Africa, for instance 7.5% of the total 6 million people brought through the Atlantic Ocean by European traders during the 18th century, Nantes was one of the big European centres of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as Liverpool and Bristol, Flessingue and Amsterdam, or Lisbon.
What were the specific characteristics of that "trade"?
How did it act upon the future of Nantes, considering short-term and long-term results?
Considering a likely total of 450,000 black people "treated" (bought and took on board) from the coast of Africa, for instance 7.5% of the total 6 million people brought through the Atlantic Ocean by European traders during the 18th century, Nantes was one of the big European centres of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as Liverpool and Bristol, Flessingue and Amsterdam, or Lisbon.
What were the specific characteristics of that "trade"?
How did it act upon the future of Nantes, considering short-term and long-term results?
The
reasons of a vocation
The
"slave trade vocation" of Nantes appeared really late. Its trade
history started at the beginning of the 18th century (maybe in 1707, with
the equipping of the ship "L' Hercule" by the Montaudouin family).
At the time, some Europeans were already slave traders for two centuries
and a half, on the African coasts, and some French ship-owners and sailors
were running the same deal for two centuries, above all in Dieppe and
La Rochelle.
Until
that time, Nantes kept out of that huge traffic, and stayed, until the
Colbert's era, in its traditional vocation of European and inter-regions
harbour, dealing with the old medieval trilogy (corn, wine, and salt)
and keeping the links established for several centuries with the Iberian
Peninsula, British Islands and the North sea.
Therefore, at the beginning of the 18th century, Nantes suddenly and resolutely became involved in the slave trade. After several attempts during the War of Succession, the first "boom" of the slave trade started from
Therefore, at the beginning of the 18th century, Nantes suddenly and resolutely became involved in the slave trade. After several attempts during the War of Succession, the first "boom" of the slave trade started from
1712-1715.
It was the energetic beginning of a period which established Nantes as
the dominant pole of the French slave trade during the first half of the
18th century, representing more than two third of French expeditions.
Yet, for half a century, more and more ships from Nantes, started to cross the Atlantic ocean to reach the West Indies settled by France. (Martinique and Guadeloupe since the 1640's, Santo-Domingo since the 1660's) After 1674, with the closure of the "Companie des Indes occidentales", (the West Indies company) the number of
Yet, for half a century, more and more ships from Nantes, started to cross the Atlantic ocean to reach the West Indies settled by France. (Martinique and Guadeloupe since the 1640's, Santo-Domingo since the 1660's) After 1674, with the closure of the "Companie des Indes occidentales", (the West Indies company) the number of
transatlantic
ships grew suddenly: More than 60 equipping a year as an average from
the years 1685-1688.
In fact, from the last part of the 17th century, Nantes was "creating" the West Indies and their plantation business, investing in "houses" that produced tobacco, and then sugar, and setting up commercial nets. Downstream, from 1700, Nantes became a main place of products from colonies, a big sugar market, which attracted brokers from Northern-Europe. The first sugar refinery were developed. Only one link was lacking to that colonial and transatlantic economy: A regular supplying of servile workforce, keystone of the system.
In fact, from the last part of the 17th century, Nantes was "creating" the West Indies and their plantation business, investing in "houses" that produced tobacco, and then sugar, and setting up commercial nets. Downstream, from 1700, Nantes became a main place of products from colonies, a big sugar market, which attracted brokers from Northern-Europe. The first sugar refinery were developed. Only one link was lacking to that colonial and transatlantic economy: A regular supplying of servile workforce, keystone of the system.
In that business, privileged companies failed, and they were supplanted in 1716. So that the most dynamic merchants from Nantes jump at an opportunity, such as Montaudouin, Sarrebouse, Laurencin, Joubert, especially when they were expelled from the "Companie des Indes" ( The Indies Company), profiting to Malouins and then to the financial group led by Law. From that time on, merchants were going to extend widely a slave trade that remained in its infancy, unable to fill the growing needs in workforce for the colonial economy.
During the 1710's-1720's, the slave trade and traders era was beginning. It placed Nantes and its merchants / ship-owners in the heart of the transatlantic economy, boosted by an unprecedented growth.
From the 1720's, Nantes, its merchants and its sailors became resolutely involved in the slave trade, specializing in that business during a century.
What
did "trade" mean?
At the time, "trade" was a generic term used for slave, as well as for corn or oil. It meant a wide transatlantic shipping commerce between the continents. Economically, we must analyse the mechanisms of that trade, as well as each period of the well-known triangular slave trade.
At the time, "trade" was a generic term used for slave, as well as for corn or oil. It meant a wide transatlantic shipping commerce between the continents. Economically, we must analyse the mechanisms of that trade, as well as each period of the well-known triangular slave trade.
But
this "trade" was not equal to the others, although the vocabulary
used ("black gold") hid the reality of that trade. Historians
cannot stay to such a sterile analysis. Indeed, it was a real trade of
men reduced to slavery, and this fundamental aspect leads to another social
and global analysis, in order to clarify an historical phenomenon which
affected the destiny of hundred thousands human beings.
Le Port de Nantes : The Triangular Slave Trade
Le Port de Nantes : The Triangular Slave Trade
First
of all, on an economic aspect, the slave trade was a huge intercontinental
shipping commerce, characterized by a specific and complex trade route.
She slave trade route began with the equipping of the ship, in Nantes or in a subsidiary harbour of the Loire estuary such as Coueron or Paimboeuf, for heavier ships. Before equipping the ship, ship-owners preferred mending old ships already made profitable more than constructing new boats for a risky travel. They were
She slave trade route began with the equipping of the ship, in Nantes or in a subsidiary harbour of the Loire estuary such as Coueron or Paimboeuf, for heavier ships. Before equipping the ship, ship-owners preferred mending old ships already made profitable more than constructing new boats for a risky travel. They were
medium
tonnage ships, usually between 120 and 200 barrels. An important crew
was recruited for the slave trade, usually between 25 and 30 men for 100
barrels, that is to say twice as much as for a ship equipped for a direct
travel to the West Indies. But, in addition to the large equipping in
food, the ships were filled with a "slave trade" freight intended
to be exchanged on the coast of Africa. This freight was varied (material
of coloured cotton, "guineas", cheap jewellery, glass jewellery,
brandy, and weapons (rifles and powder)) and expensive: the freight represented
about 60% of the whole equipping cost.
The equipping was the process during which the ship-owner
and his firm had to invest considerable capitals, because slave trade
was a "wealthy" business with a high level of investment, above
one hundred thousand pounds a ship.
With its crew, its food and its precious slave trade freight, the ship left the Loire estuary to begin its trip, which was a real circuitous route, with specific length and lie.
With its crew, its food and its precious slave trade freight, the ship left the Loire estuary to begin its trip, which was a real circuitous route, with specific length and lie.
Indeed,
the trip was very long, very often longer than a year, with a "usual"
length between 14 and 18 months. Moreover, it was a complex route which
configuration justified the name of triangular traffic. Slave traders'
trip was not only a succession of ship travels: there were long put in
the coast of Guinea (2 months and 7 days), in the West Indies (almost
3 months), corresponding to trade operations in Africa, in the West Indies
and finally in Nantes after having unloaded and laid up the ships.
The triangular slave trade was not only a triangle formed by the ships in the sea: it was also the succession of
The triangular slave trade was not only a triangle formed by the ships in the sea: it was also the succession of
trade
negotiations, that led to the freight exchange: From "guineas",
rifles and brandy loaded in Nantes, to sugar barrels and coffee bales
unloaded on the "Quai de la Fosse" and sold at the "Bourse
du Commerce". It could also become profits in the chests and the
account books of the merchants.
From the beginning, large crews were recruited for the slave trade, twice as much as for an ordinary transatlantic travel. These men were recruited for their hard-heartedness because of their future task : they were going to become warders, "screws" more than sailors.
From the beginning, large crews were recruited for the slave trade, twice as much as for an ordinary transatlantic travel. These men were recruited for their hard-heartedness because of their future task : they were going to become warders, "screws" more than sailors.
This
specific reality explains why the stop in Africa last several months in
an inhospitable area: The route required several calls of trade at different
points of the coast to "pick" slaves and fill the cargo.
Because the trade on the coast of Africa was a real business: The captains had to establish exchange relations with African partners, merchants or kinglets, settled close to the coast, who received prisoners captured far in the interior of the continent, and who were brought to the trading posts of the coast.
Because the trade on the coast of Africa was a real business: The captains had to establish exchange relations with African partners, merchants or kinglets, settled close to the coast, who received prisoners captured far in the interior of the continent, and who were brought to the trading posts of the coast.
Dealing
with these local mediators, captains had to buy the prisoners, leaving
the ship to walk along the rivers during several miles, swapping slaves
for cheap and nasty goods, cheap jewellery, discussing and negotiating
with local leaders,
presents because of the hard competition which appeared between European
people from different countries.
The objective for slave traders, purely economic, was to keep alive and able to work a maximum of slaves during the travel.
The objective for slave traders, purely economic, was to keep alive and able to work a maximum of slaves during the travel.
But the sanitary efforts were opposed to the cramming
in of slaves in the ship holds, in "parks" laid out as for
cattle,
with two men (or more) by barrel, in disastrous health conditions, despite
the "daily walks" of slaves on the deck, in order to get some
fresh air and to "freshen up".
For greedy ship-owners, the inescapable penalty for cramming too many slaves in the holds was the high mortality due to epidemics among prisoners during the trip.
For greedy ship-owners, the inescapable penalty for cramming too many slaves in the holds was the high mortality due to epidemics among prisoners during the trip.
According
to some estimations, from 13 to 15% of the slaves bought in Africa died
before being sold in America, but the rate varied a lot according to the
different travels, and epidemics were not the only reason for deaths.
Indeed, the traders' freight was not unconscious and passive: these human
beings were able to resist and to react desperately, by individual or
collective suicides, particularly when they were just leaving the coast
of Africa.
Rebellions were also a continuous reality of the trade. Because collective, violent, and merciless rebellions were
Rebellions were also a continuous reality of the trade. Because collective, violent, and merciless rebellions were
a
constant matter and one of the main risks of the slave trade. These rebellions
broke out at some crucial moments of the triangular trip: During the boarding
on the African coasts, when it already seemed possible to escape. But
also on the open sea, desperately and full of rage, during the "walks"
on the deck, organised by the captains to freshen up the slaves.
That constant menace of a rebellion required numerous and well-equipped warders, and a real penal order: As a
That constant menace of a rebellion required numerous and well-equipped warders, and a real penal order: As a
symbol,
slaves were marked by a red-hot iron mark when they embarked, they were
chained together, and they suffered a hard repression as soon as any type
of rebellion was appearing.
Finally, what did the slave trade bring to the city of Nantes?
The
trade was surely a main factor of the development of Nantes. Suddenly,
during the first half of the 18th century, the Loire harbour jumped to
the first range of French colonial ports.
The slave trade also had indirect effects on the traffic of colonial products: In the 18th century, these products supplied and made stronger the big business of importation in Nantes, they attracted foreign mediators from Northern-Europe, boosting the redistribution business towards Netherlands, Hamburg and the Baltic sea. Slave traders brought back part of these products by themselves at the end of their tour. But what they earned thanks
The slave trade also had indirect effects on the traffic of colonial products: In the 18th century, these products supplied and made stronger the big business of importation in Nantes, they attracted foreign mediators from Northern-Europe, boosting the redistribution business towards Netherlands, Hamburg and the Baltic sea. Slave traders brought back part of these products by themselves at the end of their tour. But what they earned thanks
to
the
sales of slaves, converted into sugar and coffee, was too considerable.
That's why other ships went straight from Nantes to the West Indies to
load the surplus. The slave trade stimulated the "straight business"
between Nantes and the islands. There were many more straight ships: in
1752-54, 34 ships left from Nantes to the coast of Africa, every year,
for 80 ships leaving directly to the West Indies. The slave traders directly
benefited from this development.
The slave trade profitability seems to have dropped during the last third of the 18th century, because of the
The slave trade profitability seems to have dropped during the last third of the 18th century, because of the
competition
that appeared with other French harbours, Bordeaux and Marseilles, and
because of the exhaustion of the African "black mine", overexploited,
that forced slave traders to go even further in the South to find the
precious "black gold", up to Angola and Mozambique.
The bourgeoisie of Nantes relied on an "old colonial system" that was threatened, and they were violently affected by its explosion in 1791, when the slaves of Santo-Domingo, called the "Pearl of the West Indies",
The bourgeoisie of Nantes relied on an "old colonial system" that was threatened, and they were violently affected by its explosion in 1791, when the slaves of Santo-Domingo, called the "Pearl of the West Indies",
Cross
section of a slave ship"Nantes dans l'histoire de la France" - Ouest Editions