The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-07-22
A New Port of Rendezvous for
Whaiers.


Port Chalmers, n. T.. has been made a
free port for whaling vessels. This place,
according to Lippincott, is the port Of
Dunedin, colony Of Otago, on the south
east side of the middle island; in latitude
AZ 50 S. and longitude 40 so E. The
opening OF the port to whalers was brought
about through the efforts Of Mr.. George
l. Sise, OF the firm of Bates, Sise & Co..
who addressed the following letter to the
Chamber of Commerce Of Dunedin
To the Dusedin CHAMBER of Commerce;
would respectfully submit to your
Judgment the importance Of offering in
ducements to whalers to make Port Chal-
mers port Of rendezvous. There is little
doubt but that il would forward the inter-
est Of our commerce and shipping in q
great degree. The value of this trade
may be estimated (in smaller proportiOn)
by the statistics of the Sandwich Islands
for the year 1858. In that year 535 wbal-
ing ships called at these islands, and the
transhipments Of oil and bone amounted
TO II 900 tons. Besides giving another
outlet for merchandise, and creating more
demand for our labor. it would furnish
freights for many of the home ships that
at the present time have to seek lading
elsewhere and in giving return freights
TO vessels, must have tendency to lower
the inward bound charters. The great,
and seemingly. only obstacle to Port
Chalmers, as port Of call for whalers, is
the port charges otherwise it has every
advantage. being the centre of the best
whaling ground in the South Pacific, ne
eessary outfits being obtainable at low
rates good vessels always procurable for
the shipment of the oil and bone.
| understand from fifteen to twenty
whalers are expected at the Bay Of Islands
this year and even at the present time
some 1000 barrels Of oil are ready for
home shipment.
The only reason that vessels rendezvous
at these northern ports is the saving of
port charges, necessities for whalers being
much higher there than here, and their
oil is oftentimes shipped from the Bay Of
Islands to Auckland in small schooners,
and sometimes transhipped from the latter
port to Sydney. Some years back these
waters were the favorite resort of whalers,
as many as 400 barrels of sperm having
been taken in the neighborhood of the
Chatam Islands in single day.
These good seasons lasted some years;
the ground then became cut up. But now.
after the long rest, the whales have re-
turned, and should be source Of profit to
New Zealand, as an average whale makes
20 tons of-oi and ton of bone.
Abolishing the port charges does not
lessen the revenue, for as long as they are
maintained it necessitates going to free
port, and giving others this profitable
trade. | am. &C., Csc. l.. SIsE.
Dunedin, Feb. II, 1868.
The Chamber of Commerce favored the
proposition of Mr.. Sise, and the subject
was brought before the superintendent of
the colony, who under date of 2Sth Feb
ruary informs the Chamber that the gov
eminent will at once take the necessary
steps to relieve whalers calling at the
port of 0tago from the payment of port
charges"
The Dunedin Price Current of the 9Th
March thus speaks of the subject:
We are indebted to Mr.. G. L. Sise
for drawing the attention of the Chamber
of Commerce, and, through the Chairman,
that of the Provincial Executive, to the
necessity of admitting to the port of Otago,
free OF all charges, all ships of whatever
nation engaged in whaling operations.
Now that there is craving dock in pro-
cess of construction at an enormous cost,
and patent slips have been for some time
in operation, it is essential some other
scheme should be adopted to make Otago
a port of greater attraction. 1t can be
proved satisfactorily that this port is de-
serving, both as regards its latitude and
longitude and its general capabilities, of
selection as the whaling station of the
South Pacific and Antarctic oceans, and
it only remains for Mr.. Sise to disseminate
throughout the length and breadth of the
United States the fact that American whaL
ers will in future be admitted and allowed
to depart, free of all charges, to awaken an
interest in his suggestions. Irrespective
of this port becoming the grand centre of
all southern whaling operations from its
practical situation, might be made the
great depot for the supply of oil and whale
bone to all parts of the world, thus avoid
ing the delay and expense of running
ships to the other hemisphere to find a
market"
In the above the advantages of Port
Chalmers as rendezvous for whaling
vessels are very clearly set forth. A reg
ular line of packets runs from Boston to |
that place. to the consignment of Messrs.
Bates, Sise d Co., so that constant oppor-
tunities exist for the shipment of materials
and supplies BY the monthly mail via
Panama, the postal time between New
York and New Zealand is only forty-ive
days.