The Polynesian., 1840-12-12


4 .;0s one for the vessel, the other for super
",endnc the actual operations ofthe fishery,
RSouH be abolished as destructive of discip-
line among the crews.
4 The under officers of the vessel, on the
a ,her hand, he considers, should be active
Sncn well acquainted with all the manual
4 tails otthe service. Capt. Dupctit Thouars
4 yrlaims loudly against the system so very
E,evacnt among American whale fisheries,
II allowing the sailors to get into debt
n .bore, and of the owners giving security,
|%r advancing the money for them at a rate
\ If interest, often amounting to 40 or 80 per
cent; practice destructive of all habits Of
Prudence among the men.
II The principal rendezvous for the whale
khips Captain d'Urville states to be the
Sandwich Islands, Otaheitc, and New Zeal
Ind: at the former of these stations some
sines 60 French whalers are assembled
together, at the second 90, at the third 40.
EAt all these places when the whalers are in,
Inc most unbounded RIGHTEOUSNESS and dis
order prevail among the crews, and call
smperiouslv for the establishment Of Consuls
br other authorised agents on the spot.
j Capt d'Urville strongly urges the neces-
fhy of sending out agents ofthis kind without
|tciav, and more particularly to the Bay of
Islands in New Zealand, where British
Resident who performs the functions of ga
constable and police magistrate" has been
long settled. England and the United States,
HE Captain adds, had several vessels of
swar, during the course of each year, to visit
3hese fisheries, whereas France sends only
bne occasionally; he, therefore, recommends
government to adopt more efficient measures
III this kind
We publish the above extract, in order to
}ectity the errors which it contains. How
10 important a mistake should be made as to
}he number of French whaleships touching
n these islands, it is impossible to imagine.
fixty whaleships of all nations assembled
here at one time, must have been very
fare occurrence, if indeed such ever was
he case. One French whaler touched at
This port in 1887, three in 1888, and none
3ince. One other touched at Lahaina, and
lnst year one at Waimea, kauai-in all six
fhaers in four years. This year, one mer-
shantman touched on her way to Manila
1ptal of seven French vessels in four years.
Within the same period 25l American vessels
ind 81 English of all classes arrived at Homo
lllu. The report also states that several men
Sf-war from England and the United States
annually "visit these fisheries" Until this
Year national ship of the latter had never
tPpeared in many harbors much frcquentedby
american shipping, and it will probably be
FEARS before others follow. Four French
hen-of-war have visited Oahu since June,
1887, three of which touched also at Tahiti.
seven English have appeared within the
ame period, and seven from the United
Plates, five of which were attached to the
Exploring Squadron. From these facts it is
Readily seen that the French commerce is far
pore efficiently protected in these seas, than
pat of any other nation. The statement of
rench shipping at Tahiti and New Zealand
&pears likewise to be exaggerated, though
Re have no data for ascertaining the precise
4mount.
We are happy to state that as far as Ca
u Is concerned, that "unbounded liccntious-
Jess and disorder" have not prevailed among
elther the crews of French vessels or those
any other nations when in this port, and
yen were they so disposed, the police of the