Napoleon Bonaparte and hemp in the 19th century.



In 1812, war broke out between France and England. Hemp was the main strategic issue at stake. Since it was used to build ships, it was possible to control maritime routes by monopolizing hemp supplies. For many years, hemp was the most important industry on the planet and was considered a material of choice for trade. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Russia produced more than 80% of the hemp used by Western countries, and the British bought more than 90% of their hemp from this country.


After the French Revolution, there was great tension between the English aristocracy and Napoleon’s government, as the British feared that a revolution would also take place in their country. Around 1803, the British Navy imposed a naval blockade by cutting off the trade routes of the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar in order to hinder trade with Russia. In 1807, Napoleon signed the Treaty of Tilsit with Tsar Alexander I in an attempt to end trade between Russia and Great Britain, or any other nation acting for its benefit. Napoleon’s strategy was to prevent Russian hemp from reaching the British, thus forcing an end to the naval blockade. He hoped to weaken the British Navy by preventing it from replenishing its hemp supplies, thus reducing its strength.


After the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, England declared that no nation would be considered neutral and that anyone who dealt with France would be viewed as an enemy. The United States, which was still neutral, was taken hostage by the British, who made them a secret
offer that looked like blackmail more than anything else: American ships had to transport Russian hemp for the benefit of the British; otherwise, their ships would be confiscated. However, the offer included a generous reward in gold coins for the sailors who brought hemp back to British ports. In addition, the Americans were allowed to continue their own trade with the Russians.


When news of this “offer” reached Napoleon’s ears, he insisted that Tsar Alexander stop trading with American ships, which he believed were being forced into illegal trade by the British. Napoleon demanded that the Tsar authorize him to deploy troops to the port city of Kronstadt to ensure that the Russians respected the terms of the treaty. The Tsar would not listen. In spite of the treaty, he decided to ignore the illegal exchanges. No doubt he saw a benefit in this since the Americans were supplying him with much sought-after goods. Upset by the situation, Napoleon ordered Alexander I to put an end to all trade with American ships. In response, the Tsar withdrew from the Treaty of Tilsit. Furious that the British could still obtain hemp supplies, Napoleon mobilized more than 450,000 men and set out for Russia to punish the Tsar and finally prevent hemp from reaching England.


The British and Russians thus became allies again and the shipment of hemp resumed as normal. However, the British refused to lift the maritime blockade that still prevented American ships from trading with Russia. The Americans were unhappy about this and found themselves cut off from more than 80% of their own hemp supplies. Discussions on war took place in Congress and resulted in a formal declaration. On June 18, 1812, the United States, along with French troops, officially entered war against the British Empire.


Napoleon suffered a crushing defeat in Russia. He had disregarded his original strategy and made the mistake of not stopping for the winter, marching on Moscow with troops ill equipped to face the great cold. Of the 450,000 men sent into battle, only 180,000 returned. England, after some success against the Americans, saw its financial resources diminish considerably and finally agreed to sign a peace treaty in December 1814. The treaty stipulated that the British would no longer disturb the Americans’ trade, and that, in return, the Americans would no longer claim Canada as a territory of the United States.


Napoleon was later defeated in Spain and banished to the Mediterranean island of Elba, from where he eventually escaped after 100 days. The rest is history.


Painting of Napoleon Bonaparte on his horse
Painting of Napoleon Bonaparte on his horse

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