The New York herald., 1879-07-30
ARCTIC WHALERS.


From the Boston (Mass.) Advertiser. July ISL
Dealers in whalcbone and oil awaiting with much
interest the arrival in San Francisco the Arctic
trader General Harney. looked for within ten days.
This vessel was despatched from the Golden Gate in
May last with stores to the twenty whalers cruising
in the northern waters and to bring back their
sons catch of oil and bone Seventeen of the feet
are New Bedford vesses the other three from
San Francisco; that the General Harney s arrival
has something Of local interest. Just there
are fifteen whalers at the wharves in New Bedford
aud should the from the Arctic be that small
catch had been taken these idle whalcrs will proba
bly, all be dismantled and be laid up until early
spring. when. if the markets improve they will be
fitted for the usual three years cruise. There at
present 1856 vessels all told engaged in whale fishery
against G6s in 1854. New Bedford continues
to lead in the business. Counting the ten
Scotch steam whalers now at work i'll Bafiin's Bay
not more than twenty-five are from seaports out
side Of New Bedford. 1t may be interesting to
call that when the business at its height in
1854 New Bedford fitted ont 4l9. Nantucket AZ.
Provincetown 81, Fairhaven 40 and New London
IS. The previous year the receipts OF bone
1862 300 pounds against 207 259 in 1873 the prices
ranging III 1853 from "a to 40 cents against 81 so
to So the present season. The receipts OF oil were
in 1854 2Oo.GO0 barrels. against 10000 in 1878. In
this year Of heavy receipts there were 552 vessels
in the Arctic fisheries There is very little change
In the whaling grounds outside OF the Arctic
The whales run down early in the summer into
the southern latltudes to ''calve but in returning
they keep very much closer to the ice. and i'll the
Arctic run under and alongside the fields and beras.
For twenty years the whalers had not followed the
fish west of Point Earrows but in 1915 the fleet went
as far US Camden Bay, and four of the vessels
abandoned. since which time not vestige of these
vessels has been met with. The fleet hrs never been
far west since. Harrison's Bay being considered
well to the westward. But as New Bedford parties
are now building steam Arctic whaler at Batn, Me-.
States, there may be a great change in the Arctic
fishing grounds, and more economic method Of
following the schools discovered This steamer will
tit away in September 1t will 80 direct to and cruise
along both coasts OF Patagonia, where the whaling
this season has been unusually hne thence it will
run up along the Off shore and the line grounds.
touching in at San Francisco, after cruising through
the Society and Sandwich Islands, dischurging the
catch and by June next it will steam directly into
the Arctic seas.
THE WHALING INDUSTRY.
The Indian Ocean fleet aud the two vessels Of the
New Ze iand coast have been fairly successful, but
the sperm of the west coast of New Holland.
in Australia, and the catch i'll the vicinity OF the
Dosoation Islands, southeast of Africa. at last
counts poor 1t is in the last named locality.
and also i'll the Indian Ocean, that the whaers look
III each catch tor that knot Of diseased intestines
known as ambergris, which weighs from forty to
two hundred pounds. and is usually more valuable
than the whole cargo OF oil and bone The last lot
brought into New Bedford on the Caroline
Gibbs, l25 pounds. The whale taken of the
Tristan Islands in the South Atlantic. and the lot
was sold for S25,O0O to a Boston druggist. 1t
may be interesting to know that tins most
fumes. New Bedford outftters claim that unless
vessel take barrels OF sperm oil in three years
OH hshins VIII not pay. AS lew have reached THIS
attention is being given to catching the right whale
in the Arctic. in which the bone is more valuable.
The consumption of sperm oil has been abridged
principally by the introduction of lard Oil. Nothing
would rejoice the sordid heart whalemau az a
hog cholera at the West. The failure of the men.
haden this summer is a bit of encouragement
to holders Of humpback and similar classes whale
OIL This is thick oil does not strain clear and
ia LARGE laaQ he nil
taken in the South seas are somewhat similar. but
the Arctic oils clear and limpId and
used both for burning and lubricating purposes.
Sperm oil is used almost exclusively as u spindle
lubricant. the English spinners taking from
about 2O,OOO barrels year. Last fall, when the
catch large and the market dull. prices fell
to eighty-fve cents. This seemed very low that
out of New Bedford about 5000 barrels at eighty
two cents. But the market has since receded to
seventy five cents. with stock of about $4,000 bar
reis on hand, and the spnners at Oldham and other
large English manufacturing centres idle account
of strike. The sale OF whalebone is very large in
Paris and Berlin where the leading modistes make
womcns costumes art. Since the long trains
have been fashionable the sales of bone that will
ten feet lengths have commanded extra prices.
Whalebone runs from four to ten feet long and is
now worth 81 so per pound. substitute has been
attempted in the horn from Australian oxen. The
greatest lengths OF these run to seventeen inches
and they sell at 81 pound. but this horn. notwith
standing the in its preparation. on being used
gives out o disagreeable odor
PROFITS OF THE SEASON.
The results OF this seasons whaling will be known
between the LIST and 10Th OF November, but whether
there will be anything to favor an advance
further decline Is not speculated upon by New
Bedford outfters One of the last voy ages settled
up ut New Bedford did not yield dollar of cash
the crew. and their advance aud modest purchases
during the cruise actually brought them in debt to
the owners 1t seems very hard that over three
years severe work should not yield eleven more
than a modest fare and cheap wearing apparel.
Whaling is done the operative plan The owners
furnish the vessel, fit out and food tor two-thrds.
and the officers and do the work for one-third
and settlement is made the return at the current
market price for oil and bone when L. nded at the
wharf. Among the ships oflicers and men the
division is the value of the whole cargo,
follows The captain has one-sixteenth; first mate,
q twenty-tourth; second mate. thirty-ffth; third
mate ffticth; boat steerers. one-eighticth to
one-nneticth; ordinary seamen. one one-hundred
and sixtieth to one onehundred and seventeth, ard
green hands, one one-hundred and nineteth to
two hundred and tenth. The advances at the outset
OF the voyage are First mate, 5000 second mate,
S175; third mate. $50; scamen, SIPS, and green
hands. 500. chest containing clothing and to-
bacco, Nc., Is put board. out of which the
replace their out lost clothing at advance
about fifty per the cost. For instance, coat
costing SO sold of the chest for 80. Notwith-
standing the dangers of tho business and its very
poor returns there large numbers of men
hanging about New Bedford waiting for the expected
Arctic news, In the hope of chance to ship tho
cruises that may possibly be made into the South
Atlantic and Pacific.