. ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 2 ▁no ▁Dutch ▁or ▁French ▁ships ▁appeared ▁at ▁C anton ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁War , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 2 ▁only ▁eleven ▁English , ▁three ▁Dan ish ▁and ▁two ▁Swedish ▁ships ▁called ▁there . ▁Only ▁four ▁out ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁English ▁ships ▁returned ▁safely ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁due ▁to ▁French ▁naval ▁activity . ▁Att empt ing ▁to ▁se ize ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁make ▁good ▁prof its , ▁the ▁Pro li ▁group ▁sent ▁five ▁ships ▁to ▁C anton : ▁the ▁Cro ate , ▁the ▁K ollow r ath , ▁the ▁Z in z endor ff , ▁the ▁Arch id uc ▁Maxim il ien , ▁and ▁the ▁Aut rich ien . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁opportunity ▁had ▁been ▁missed ▁as , ▁with ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁an ▁arm ist ice ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁the ▁former ▁bell iger ents ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁send ▁their ▁ships ▁to ▁C anton ▁safely , ▁and ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁saw ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁thirty - e ight ▁ships ▁there , ▁including ▁the ▁five ▁Imperial ▁vessels . ▁They ▁had ▁to ▁buy ▁tea ▁at ▁a ▁high ▁price , ▁but ▁when ▁they ▁returned ▁to ▁Ost end ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 7 8 4 ▁they ▁had ▁to ▁sell ▁at ▁a ▁low ▁price ▁on ▁a ▁gl utt ed ▁market , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁having ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁permission ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁that ▁port . ▁The ▁price ▁of