The story of westward expansion was probably one of Americans' favorite epics, and those who took part in that feat were not just fast-draw cowboys, lawmen, and Indians, but warehouse managers as well.
At least during the first two centuries of Europe's colonization of America, the pace of westward expansion depended largely on whether settlers could transport cash crops to Europe and sell them.
Most pioneers borrowed money to start their ventures. At the very least, they had to buy shovels for clearing land, as well as mirrors, clocks, and other items that represented status, most of which were imported. By the eighteenth century, Britain had largely eliminated piracy. This not only lowered insurance costs but also reduced shipbuilding costs. Cargo ships could simply be cargo ships; there was no longer any need to build armed merchant vessels, which meant lower construction costs and fewer crewmen needed to operate them.
Whenever sailors reached any port other than their home port, the shipowner had to pay their taxes and living expenses ashore. Otherwise, they could scarcely survive.
Napoleon's fleet stopped at Sardinia and Malta en route to Egypt. Ships of that era were nothing like twenty-first-century cruise liners. The French Army had always depended on land, and when the fleet passed Corsica, it encountered a violent storm. Nelson, who had also set out from Gibraltar to intercept Napoleon, had arrived in roughly the same waters, and many of his light reconnaissance vessels were badly damaged. Before raging winds and towering waves, large and small ships were all like dead leaves, but the larger vessels were still somewhat steadier.
The storm severely weakened Nelson's scouting ability, which was precisely why he passed Napoleon's fleet by several times without finding it.
While ships were being repaired and waiting, buyers had to visit plantation