The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-01-24
halin=.

NOBODY has denied that the unfor5unat
hemming in Of the Arctic Whaling fee
was $ great misfortune 70 Honolulu, Mer
chants and traders who had mzde prepa
rations 70 supply the wants Of the fee
were no doubt greatly disappointed, snC
7 their losses, taken in the prospective, wen
very great. They expected s certain
amount Of trade from the wbalers, which
1 they could estimate very accurately, know
ing as they did the number OF vessels en-
gagged IN the business in the Arctic, and
the number Of those vessels which would
make Honolulu their port Of supply.
I 80 far as we have learned, the enter
prise Of fitting 5 large Pacific or Arctic
Z Ocean feet Of whalers has been practi
. eally abandoned in New Bedford. \ few
ships certainly, fitted by some Of the
most venturesome Of those who have pros
pered 50 long in the business, viii he sent
into the Paeifc and into the Arctic, but
50 far As large fleets are concerned they
viii never again be sent from New Bed
ford or from any Eastern port.
The fact Is that the Pacifc and Arctic
whaling Is now in the hands Of the com
uercial people Of the Pacife,-to those
who are At hand and able to call their
cruisers home sitter every seasou,-San
Francisco or HouoIulu. or San Francisco
and Honolulu. must hereafter be the home
ports for the Arctic whaler. a New Bed
Bedford and New London have been IN
the past. They are Within easy distance
from the whaling grounds, and from either
port vessels may be fitted and equipped
as ebeaply As they have formerly been
equipped and fitted from the ports in the
East.
There seems at present to be q general
feeling Of distrust as TO the chance Of pro
ITS arising from the proceeds Of the aver
age catch OF oil Of late years. The com
petition Of certain other oils, not only for
the purposes of illumination but also for
purposes, has had thetendency
10 depreeiate the price Of whale oil. and
to render II IN 4 measure unnecessary in
to what It was few years
ago: still, It viii always be necessity
and consequently an object Of commerce,
Welding 70 the successful adveutUrer
good return. But some viii ssy, who
viii be the successful adventurer Who,
his capital IN fitting cut yes
sels. viii be guaranteed = profitable re
turn? We would answer that we believe
that 50 long as the whole. or nearly the
whole Of what was called the Arctic fleet
has been destroyed or rendered useless,
he sea viii Be clear, at least for the next
wear. TO the few who viii adventure upon
he enterprise. Instead Of the hundreds
who have heretofore competed with each
lther IN the business, and by their anxiety
md rivalry have gone far to drive the
eviathau from his home IN the polar seas,
here viii be IN the future but a few who
VII have aIl the advantages and opportu-
titles which the MANY have heretofore IN
measure thrown away.
We believe that our enterprising ship
,vners and merchants DO not require
subsidies or auy other en-
,ouragement than those accorded to any
,ther promising commercial enterprise, IN
rider TO insure success. ALPHABETICALLY
rec home port, as ours Is, the prospect of
ueceSs, coupled with the enterprise Of our.
capitalists, Is amply sufficient to warrant
Is in predicting that in the no distant tu-
ure Honolulu, instead Of being a port OF
upply to foreign whalers. viii become the
lone port Of a large proportion Of the
-essels which in future years VIII be dis
stitched to the North Pacific and Arctic
o procure oil and bone. We believe now
5 the time when we can take advantage
+ favorable opportunity to start in the +
BUSINESS without competition. BY enter
,rise at this time We may avert s oaIamity
nd turn Whist has at first appeared to be
great misfortune into . source Of lasting
,eneft and prosperity to this port and to
he country.