New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-23
NEW wHALE-FIsaEHIEs

orr hardy nayigators. While Great Britain and
France. with overwhelmingly large nayfes 10 pro
tect commerce as it is called, have made no COO
tribution worth speaking Of 20 this great oranea
ofiudustry and trade-all Their vessels engaged ia
il not reaching literally sc,re In numoer-'no
United States, which have no large military ma
rine. in fact monopolized It, Ter their whanns
vsssals amount z, some six hundred in number
A more significant exhibit of the genuine prlncl-
pies of political economy, more thorough con-
demnation of the old ideal of having large niVies
:. TO protect commerce" could not by auy human
ingenuity be invented, than Is here naturii pre-
sented by this parallel between our coantry ana
the naval powers of Europe in regard to whale
fisheries. The naval guardianship afforded BY
Great Britain and France to commerce is just Id
proportion to its extent an impeachment, and IN
France il almost amount, to an extinction OF the
very thing claimed to be so nurtured Tor whiie
the "plory" Government Of the latter country
especially since 1880, has lent its choicest ener
pies TO build up q nayy-while Louis Philippe,
among other family comedies, made his son JOIN
vile play the jack-tar role OF the concern anu
do up spit FIRE work as reqdired-while, too the
present comedian. Louis Napoleon, still jaobers
of that same old naval glory" and taxes the
peasants in mud hovels to the last attenuation oil
sou-splitting-the French commercial marine has
almost become extinct; and were it not for
American vessels at Havre, that port would
probably be reduced to the proportions OF fish
ing village, or at best to cheap place for the ae-
commodation of seedy Englishmen.
II seems. however, if we are to believe British
authorities there is to be fresh field for these
fisheries, growing on: Of the successful voyage OF
the Lady Franklin. Capt. Penny has, we are as
sured, shown how the whales of the Arctic re-
eions may be followed up, and the sport turned
to profit We shall believe that the discovery
can be turned to any formidable rivalry with our
whale fisheries, wherever carried on, when
it is achieved, but NOT sooner. These new
" discovered whale fisheries are important to
the United States, for the terrible enterprise OF
our fishermen in the Pacific has told on the
means Of supply. Already in that quarter Is
there lack of grownup whales to harpoon, and
the fishermen are beginning to kill "calves"-a
proceeding which if laws could protect whales
as they do salmon should be put stop to in-
continently. All enterprise should cease at the
limits Of common sense, and this sacrifice Of
young whales overleaps every consideration OF
economy, individual and national.
Such being the state of the whale market,
the details concerning the new fishing grounds
become interesting aud valuable. 1t seems
-. Iona HAL
published bis views on the subjec. of resident
whale fishery in Davs's Straits. He learned from
the Esquimaux Oh the west land that large mum.
Der of whales sought the bays and nets for shelter
during the winter season. His connection with
Capt Austn in the expedition in search Of Sir
John Franklin interrupted his whale fishery la
bors, but returning to England he sought to raise
a company with capital of Gl00 900 to carry out
bis idea. Tos was opposed as an interference with
private enterprise, his object being to procure
charter like that of the Hudson Bay Company,
and establish fishing points at chosen spots. Two
vessels fitted out in the meanwhile, failed for
certain reasons. Capt. Penny, however, succeed.
ed in forming private company, so far as to
purchase the two ships which had been in the
Arctic search and adapt them to whale fishing.
He had iron tanks made to fit these vessels and
so arranged that the oil, when boiled, could be
conveyed by guttapercha and other pipes to every
tank in the hold. He has also a supply Of Goals
and good boilers it being his intention to boil the
oil on land in his winter quarters.
The two vessels, manned by thirty. three men
and three boys, left Aberdeen the 18Th of August
last year. Not to trace too infinitely their voy.
age suffice to say that they arrived at New.
Akteick the Eth ofSeptember, and from the 10th
to the lst of November killed ten large whales.
During the winter months the oil was boiled
ashore and, although the mercury was at some
times 4Oo below zero, the men oil enjoyed the
best health. Thus they boiled loo boilers full Of
oil The cholera broke out in the south of the
island aud made circuit of il, carrying off IA
tives but sparing the English, who checked the
symptoms at once when they appeared. The
spring. fishing then common ,ed, and seventeen
whales were killed. Having thus secured as
mary whales as one of bis vessels could boil
Capt. Penny sailed for Aberdeen, leaving the
other vessel. He returned safely, and is about
to make fresh voyage. He reports two small
American ships as already engaged in the trade.
Capt. Penny, it msy be added, still continues in
the belief that there is milder climate and
polar basin yet to be discovered. He met with
abundance of deer and other wild animals bat
found vegetation in very low state.
We present these important faces to our enter
prisiDg countrymen engaged in the whale trade,
fully believing that, as fast as the exhausting
process of fishing in the Pacific requires a new
locality for the exercise Of their industry and
b ardihnod tIaaa L.. IL