Baltic naval stores and maritime security

The 1673 measure appeared during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, itself a subsidiary part of the Franco-Dutch War. It allowed a different crew rule for long-distance whalers, whose sailors were less readily available for naval service than crews making frequent merchant voyages. The Eastland Company's monopoly had also failed to deliver enough Baltic ship stores. Opening routes to Scandinavian shipping could reduce Dutch leverage over supplies and expose Dutch interdiction to diplomatic consequences. Commercial access could build political connections with Danish, Norwegian, and especially formidable Swedish maritime power.