Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1828-04-25
SOUTH SEAS.


SOUTH SEAS.
The Committee on Naval Affairs has reported in
favor OF exploring the South Seas, agreably to the
petition of Mr.. Reynolds, who has been delivering
lectures on this subject, in different places, for some
years. Some of the most important views of Mr..
Reynolds, in his letter TO the committee, thus
stated by the Baltimore American.
In the present state of science, particularly of
nautical science, and amidst the repose which the
civilized part of the world enjoys at this moment,
1t IS kind Of reelection on it thateven doubt should
rest on the existence of other countries yet unds-
covered The curious as well the scientific,
must be DESTROYS to'see complete map made out OF
that little globe which have but lately discover
ed to be round and of all whose divisions we are
at this day uniformed. Even if seal skins and
whale oil were not likely to become more abundant
by the projected expedition spoken of above, we
should be glad to it undertaken, in order to add
one link to this chain ofcomplete geographical know
ledge.
| Mr.. Reynolds, however, has wisely added the
spur of probable gain to these more liberal views !;
and in his letter to the chairman of the Committee
on Naval Affairs, has stated his views of the extent,
character and advantages of commerce in the
Pacific Ocean, to extend which, among other things,
Is the object of his expedition. From conversation
!
tculars relative to this trade which extends to
ious articles,-to whale oil seaotter and seal skins
sandal wood, ivory, land animal furs, and feathers
AT the commencement of the revolutionary war, the
whole fishery to which we shall limit our notice lust
now was nearly confined to Nantucket, and made an
annual return of thirty thousand barrels of OIL and
a hundred and sixty tons of spermaceti candles.
At present, it amounts to hundred and thirty five
thousand barrels of oil, and eight hundred and thir-
ty-seven tons of spermacet candles, a year "a
4 vast incI ease. As the demand for oil increases,
while the fishery decreases in the frequen-
ted for that purpose other islands and shoals should
be explored for the porpoise and sea-elephant
while other fisheries, as the salmon and cod, might
be enlarged in high ATTITUDES. The consumption
of fish increases with the supply Fifteen years ago
it astonshed the legislature of Massachusetts, thai
f there were twenty thousand barrels OF mackere
pickled every reason. Last year upwards of one
: hundred and ninety-seven thousand barrels were
inspected; the price was not diminished and the de-
a mand was charging By this article alone, deduct
= ing all expenses half million of dollars is thu
# fished from the bottom of the ocean. Could
!. market for these fish be opened in South America
the inhabitants would soon change the vegetable d
ct of their fast days, for fish. This is proved b,
q the fact that Spain and Italy, with the West Indies
6 have been the great consumers OF our fish. A
% early as l744 thrty-two thousand quntals of cod
" fish were sent from New England to Europe.
i The trade in sea-otter skins is estimated to hav
10 amounted since its commencement to from fifteen
$ twenty FIVE millions ofdolars, these skins bringn
Il from forty to seventy dollars, and more, in Chi
III na--The animal has yet been found only betwee
n Al deg. and 60 deg. north; but naturasts know n
r reason why they should not be found in
10 ing ATTITUDES In the South. The sandal-wood trad
r amounts to nearly half million year, of whic
10 three hundred thousand dollars worth cut tn
Sandwich islands alone. New groves of this woo
n. would be worth finding Mr.. Reynolds adds quer
70 whether this wood could not be grown in part
d of Florida and on the coast of Liberia. As to th
,e fur seal-skn trade, it is thought that than
$ ven millions of skins, averaging two OF three dollar
Of each, have been taken since we commenced this bus
a. illness in the Pacific. While the demand is increas
e. ling the seals diminishing, rather retreatine
ne in the Pacific and islands must be found wher
" they have been as yet undisturbed. To the whal
fishery Capt. Parry's polar voyages have in tn
of way been OF immense advantage BY transferring