The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-03-07

A. the time the statistics VET published in New Bedford fun
rsturns had not yet been received there from the feet q 1850.
but a. the same have already ben a.errtained here, We append
the average, which ineades az the vessels tina; touched at
these islands.
Is60-Is2 vessels aysrageI 800 bis .....-.--.ssOSs bbIs-
Our rvsiers will observe from the table the periodical fEctua-
nons which Aavr attended the whaling business In lsIs, the
largest number Of ships were engaged that have ever erii-sd in
this ocean during any one season We are inclined % regard
the average given In the table Tor the gear 1851. 1925 DrsJ as
srroneou,. although We have rot the data at hand 10 support
the opinion or correct the error. ift Is ous. The average % ihe
previous year 1850 Wa I6e2 brs, and for the following year
ASA las brs- From 1856, the number q vessels employed
gradually fell OF tin in ISL. only I3s American vessels are
reported ls having erased in this ocean The discovery Of the
whaling ground in the Arctic Ocean gave another impetus to the
business, ant in the following year. no Iss than 25s American
vessels eruisei in the North Pacific. Ansr that year it again
commenced decreasing, Till In 1857 Il numbered III vessels
The following year the feet increased To 1g5 ships Thus il will
be observed that these fluctuations have embraced periods Of
about SIX years. For instance, the feet was largest in 1915
aner a decline IL increased the sixth yearUsSg 10 a large heeii
again after declining several years, it revived in the sixth Qs5S)
and 10 now on its customary decline Easing our theory ON the
experience Of the past, We Judge that the present depression in
the whale fishery will prove only temporary, and that W Z shall
witness a reUTJdf Of ke bHsiHsss an 1851, 50 that the North
Pacific feet % the latter year riH. in all probability, be larger
than during either ofthe two years precsiingit il. There are several
reasons which may be addueed in support Of this theorys
lt- There - an absolute and steady demand for whale oil, for
which no substitute, answering in every respect all its uses, has
Low by Is year 1861, creating an increase in price and calling
for an increase Of production
Ri The oil wells Of Pennsylvania and Ohio, which have had
. tendency 10 depress the business, cannot fully supply the
steadily Increasing demand for oil, even should they continue to
produce rs freely during the next two years as they do now.
which Is not At all certain. [
ID The scarcity % whaIebone, anil consequent high price
which it will command during 1862, Or not during the present
yearJ must tend 20 a revival % the North Pacific whale fishery
In n few years.
These reasons alone are sufficient to strengthen our belief that
The depression viii not be permanent but besides these there
Is q strong probability Of an increase in the number Of whales in
the Northern Seas. OF the habits and characteristics Of whales
ve are almosz e. ignorant now rs fifty years ago We know
tLat they are mammalf1, and some OF their resorts FOR breeding
their young are known, so also their food Is known but Of their
age, or how long they require To grow To maturity, little is known
excerpt frum suppo-itfon- There Is no good reason to doubt that
their growth rs rapid as tina. Of other mammaIa, and that three
or four years, at the longest, Is all that is required for them to
arrive Mt maturity. The Northern Arctic and Southern Antac-
tic Oceans, beyond the limits of navigation. are undoubtedly
tavori.e resorts % the whale for breeding. and IL Is not inprob-
able that a cessation % ever tb or three years in the destrue-
ton of whales will allow n large increase q them But whether
our theories he correct or not, there is very little reason to dOub.
that there will be a decided increase in the average catch Of the
present season, owing To the large reduction in the number Of
ships engaged, AMI the consequently better chances Of those in
the fishery
We give below the number % vessels employed in the whale
sshery Jan l, 1851, in the principal ports: