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Henry Every

Keeping up with the Jones (Act)

The King of Pirates

Henry Every (or Avery) is remembered

During the past few Bottom Line for capturing the richest pirate prize years, Bouchard has The other usual Jones ever and also for apparently being again invested well over Act defense arguments wise enough to retire from the business one billion dollars in also apply, including and enjoy his ill-gotten gains. He was new equipment. This the need to maintain a born in the West Country of England, investment could have robust shipyard indus- famous for providing England with a certainly been cheaper trial base and trained large percentage of its seafarers. He if built in foreign ship- mariners to support the served brie? y in the Royal Navy, and yards. However, consid- U.S. military and pro- then moved on to the slave trade, where er all the jobs that were tect our shores during the pay was better although dishonor- created and the taxes times of peace and war. able. In 1693, he was serving as ? rst that Bouchard and the Circling back to Puerto mate on the Spanish privateer Charles shipyard paid, again, Rico, a $72 billion debt

II when the crew became disgruntled in compliance with crisis has many causes, and mutinied. The ship was renamed existing regulations, but to blame the Jones

Fancy and Every was elected captain. which gets back to my Act for the island’s

After plundering ships off West Africa, ? rst issue in managing woes is simply short- they moved into the Indian Ocean. In

Bouchard – it all comes sighted, and frankly, 1695, the Fancy had reached the Red full circle. And as for a misguided effort to

Sea and joined up with a number of the oil industry’s com- point ? ngers elsewhere other pirates. They launched an unco- plaint that rates are too when the real problems ordinated attack on the Mughal treasure high, I didn’t hear them exist much closer to ? eet that included the main treasure complaining years ago home. U.S. ? ag ship- ship Ganj-i-sawai and the smaller Fateh when owners were los- ping has provided re-

Muhammed. Thomas Tew, command- ing money. The Jones liable and regular ser- ing the pirate sloop Amity, was killed

Act was ? ne then.” vice to the island for in an attack on the Fateh Muhammed. many years. That’s not

The Mughal ship, though, had incurred

Self-In? icted Wounds going to change, and, signi? cant damage from that attack and

When the United in reality, it may be one was unable to withstand a second attack

States government decided that it no longer needed the of the things that help the island to recover. In May, for by Every on the heavily-armed Fancy.

Naval Base at Roosevelt roads, Puerto Rico, back in example, Crowley Puerto Rico Services announced that

Every then turned his attention to the 2004, it also signaled the end of an era for the local island it had executed a $48.5 million construction contract for even larger Ganj-i-sawai, capturing it economy which took a massive hit when the federal mon- a new pier at its Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan, Puerto also. The pirate crew was incensed by ey dried up. As a young Third Mate sailing for the U.S. Rico, further solidifying its commitment to the region. In the damage in? icted by the Indian ves-

Navy’s Military Sealift Command, I visited the port and conjunction with the investment, the company and the sels and promptly tortured and killed base more than once in the early 1980’s. It was a vibrant Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) also concluded a 30- most of the Indian sailors and soldiers operation then, supporting not only the important train- year lease extension for the Isla Grande property. That on board. They also attacked the Indian ing of military aviators, but also accounting for as much kind of investment – and local commitment – is exactly women on board, many of whom com- as 75 percent of the money ? owing into local businesses. what is likely to create jobs and prosperity, with associ- mitted suicide to escape their fate. The

Nevertheless, the Navy no longer had any need for the ated tax revenues. What about simple, one-off port calls treasure on the two Indian ships was base after it halted test bombing of the island of Vieques from a low cost ? ag of convenience carrier? Not so much. enormous, with an estimated value of following years of protests. Let’s keep our eye on the ball here.

£600,000. Every’s share made him the

Local Puerto Rico of? cials are still bitter about the base For Puerto Rico, keeping up with the Jones family also richest pirate in history. Because Brit- closure, some of whom believe that the U.S. government means keeping the Jones Act intact. ain was seeking good relations with the was punishing them for the loss of their training areas. In

Mughal Empire, it launched a world- truth, it was merely a savvy ? nancial decision (our gov- – MarPro wide manhunt for Every and his crew. ernment does makes them once in a while) to withdraw

They had ? ed to the Bahamas, where from the island. Shortsighted local activists (arguably) got they divided the treasure and split up. exactly what they deserved when they failed to compre-

Investment in Puerto Rican Trade

Many, though, were eventually cap- hend that the end of the training also signaled the end to

Pictured above is Perla del Caribe, the second of two tured, tried, convicted, and hung. Hen- the need to operate from the remote location. The impact

LNG-fueled Marlin Class ships built by General Dynam- ry Every was never heard of again. Ru- on the local economy continues to this day, and reverber- ics NASSCO for Tote, was launched at NASSCO’s yard mors circulated that he had changed his in San Diego. The 764-foot-long Perla del Caribe and ates all over the rest of the island. In many respects, the identity and assumed a quiet life back sister ship, christened Isla Bella, are Jones Act vessels drama reminds me of what happened in the Philippines built for the Puerto Rican trade for TOTE Shipholdings home in the West Country, but there when the U.S. Navy pulled out of Subic Bay when the and will be operated by TOTE subsidiary Sea Star Line was no evidence to support the story.

local government there wanted too much in return for the out of Jacksonville, Fla. extension of local leases on the port land. But, I’m moving – Dennis Bryant, MarPro off point here again. (Photo: General Dynamics NASSCO) 10 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • SEPTEMBER 2015

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