In the era of the East India Company's monopoly over the oriental trades, there was no competition between merchant ships. It is said that in those days when ships were at sea, at nightfall or whenever a squall threatened, the crews would reduce the sails, and ships would put into port on the slightest pretext.
在東印度公司獨佔東方貿易的時代，商船全無競爭，據說當時海上航行每到夜晚或起風，船員就減帆停擺，也經常以種種理由中站靠岸。