The ship, Richmond, was returning from a successful whaling voyage and was carrying a full cargo of whale oil when she ran aground on rocks along the coast of the Bering's Straits about one half mile from shore. Without rescue, the ship would be lost, and the crew would drown. The whaling ships, Elizabeth Frith and Panama, rescued both the crew and the cargo of oil.
Normally, the rescuing ships would be entitled to a salvage fee for transporting the oil to port; however, the captains agreed to take the oil only if the captain of the Richmond sold the oil to them (at a ridiculously low price). They could then sell the oil themselves when they reached port for much more than the salvage fee. Thus, the captian of the Richmond faced this choice: go through with the sale at the very low price, or lose the oil to the sea in exchange for nothing.
Would a reasonable person have resisted the threat not to transport the oil unless it was sold?