The Sandalwood trade in Melanesian economics, 1841–65

Abstract

The discovery of sandalwood in the New Hebrides, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands gave rise to the first regular contacts between the islanders of this region and Europeans.1 After the first discouraging expeditions of 1829-30, to the southern New Hebrides, mercantile interest in the area appears to have lapsed for a decade. But from 1841, when new stands were found in the New Caledonian group, until about 1865, the whole region was constantly visited by sandalwood traders, chiefly from Sydney, at the average rate of about 20 ships a year. In spite of their considerable contact with the peoples of this area throughout the period, their history (as trading history elsewhere) has been neglected. This is no doubt partly due to the difficulty of unearthing material: unlike missionaries, naval commanders and colonial officers, few traders had a penchant for memoirs. It probably also has something to do with the widespread opinion that as 'birds of passage' the traders were without significant influence on the affairs of the islanders. This is, however, a European-oriented view which ignores the Melan esian perspective. Whereas the islanders did not understand European religion or social institutions and in any case had no desire to change their own beliefs, they understood European trade goods immediately. They knew a good tool when they saw one?there was no need to preach the superiority of steel to stone. They were excited by cloth and beads of textures and colours that they could not make themselves. In fact, the superior material culture of the European was the only aspect of western civilization which aroused their immediate and sustained interest. The importance of the trader to the Melanesians was that he gave them access to what they wanted; through trade they could command a regular supply of the desired goods. Moreover, the acquisition of this property produced changes in their own societies, some of which were very rapid, adding to their dislocating effects. The Iron Age took a long time to evolve in Europe, but in the Pacific Islands it came almost overnight, and in a developed form, as iron hoop, axes, knives and firearms. One can see it as a sort of Pacific Islands version of the Industrial Revolution. But there was the important