The Voyage of the Frolic: New England Merchants and the Opium Trade [Hardcover]

Thomas N. Layton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997

In 1850 the clipper ship ''Frolic,'' a sailing ship built for the Asian opium trade, had wrecked on the Mendocino coast, where the Indians salvaged its cargo. Layton unearthed the business records of its owners, A. Heard & Co., which showed that respectable Bostonians had made their fortunes running opium from India to China. Layton describes the political, financial, & logistical aspects of the profitable enterprise before the intro. of steam vessels into the opium trade in 1849. Families of the ''Frolic's'' owners preferred to forget the source of their fortunes, but in 1965 divers discovered the remains of the opium clipper, & 134 years after its wreck an archaeologist-anthropologist was inspired to pursue its colorful history. Illustrations.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the summer of 1984, Layton (archaeology, San Jose State Univ.) and a handful of his students unearthed evidence of Chinese artifacts at a dig north of San Francisco. Layton later discovered that his findings were the result of the wreck of the clipper Frolic in 1850. Tracing the story of the Boston-owned, Baltimore-built ship led the author to discover the real purpose for which the Frolic was constructed?the opium trade between Bombay and Canton. Layton's story is the tale of the "illegal" opium trade, to which British authorities in India often turned a blind eye. Along the way, we meet Capt. Edward Faucon and a young slave laboring in Baltimore's Gardner Brothers shipyards?Frederick Douglass. A business history focusing on one firm's involvement in a lucrative drug trade at the middle of the 19th century, Layton's work is extremely well conceived, well written, and exhaustively researched. Highly recommended for all libraries.?Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Lib., Ala.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

While on an archaeological dig in northern California, Layton, a professor of archaeology at San Jose State University, uncovers remnants of Chinese porcelain that are more than 100 years old. Just off the coast a few miles away, he finds the wreck of the Frolic, a clipper ship from the mid-1800s. His curiosity aroused, Layton sifts through old maritime records and newspaper accounts, discovering that the Frolic was employed in the Asian opium trade from 1845 to 1850. The ship's crew ferried Indian opium to China and sold it for silver, which they then used to purchase Chinese tea. And business boomed for the New England traders involved. A ship like the Frolic could earn $30,000 a year in cargo fees alone, plus the side profits from investing in partial cargoes of opium. A fascinating look at a little known slice of American history, filled with dozens of colorful anecdotes, often in the participants' own words. Brian McCombie

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; First Edition edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804729093
• ISBN-13: 978-0804729093
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,286,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a class all its own, April 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Voyage of the 'Frolic: New England Merchants and the Opium Trade (Paperback)

Oddly enough, our book group chose Voyage of the Frolic and what great fun and an education it has been. I've always dreamed of going on an archeological expedition and here, without the dirt, pan, screens and brushes, I've discovered another layer of the past. What an eclectic history California has.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting History of a fast moving opium runner, March 7, 2002

By 

Hunker Down "Avid Reader" (Mendocino, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Voyage of the 'Frolic: New England Merchants and the Opium Trade (Paperback)

A model of the Frolic is on display at the Cabrillo Lighthouse, Mendocino, CA. Before you visit the area, read this book. The book covers the entire history of the Frolic, those who built it, the course it took for its short 6 year life -- before sinking off Pt. Cabrillo. Its history includes its involvement with the Opium War, American incursions in China and exciting trade run with opium, Chinese ceramics and silks. A must read if you're interested in international history and the ships that created commerce and connection with the rest of the world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully executed, September 8, 2000

By 

roberto trader (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Voyage of the 'Frolic: New England Merchants and the Opium Trade (Paperback)

The Voyage of the Frolic is a readers dream. Bostonian History, Maritime life, Chinese trade, the Coast of California and our indigenous Indians all rolled into one well written and enjoyable read. Thank you Professor Layton for unraveling the past and placing it in a wonderful china bowl for all of us to peruse and get to know.