West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-05-29
Angling Tor W Nhaies.

The fact that whales abound in sufficient
numbers Immediately outside the harbur of
San franclsco-between the Farallones and
the Golden Gate-to warrant the establish
ment OF whaling industry OF some import
ancc, is not generally known, the idea gen
orally entertained being that those waters
are too lar south 10 become the resort OF
schools OF whales, and that only an occa-
sional fish, separated from his companions
IN the north, strays into latitude 80 far
nom his supposed habitat-the Indian
Ocean. Considerable numbers of whales
can be found at all seasons OF the wear i'm
the ocean adjacent 10 that port, and within
distance that can be easily travcrscd in "A
day. Between the LIST OF May and the LIST
ot October is the most favorable season for
nshing, on account of the calm weather
generally prevailing. When fishing In
rough weather there is always some liability
of losing the flsh by breaking the line or bv
cutting loose when the vessel is endangered
The abundance of whales on that coast il
accounted for by the fact that whales mi
CRATE southwark along the coast i'm winter.
returning northward during the summer.
ana are constantly in motion: The varieties
oi whales which may be caught i'm that vi
entity are the sulphur bottom, which Is
about l3O feet long, the largest in the
world, and weighs in the nelghborhood of
2OO tons yielding small quantity OF valu-
able bone, but being rich in oil the hump
back, weighing 100 tons, the California
grays, eighty tons, and the finbaolls and
blackiish form the remainder. Sperm
whales, which are valuable on account of
the large quantity of spcrmaccti which they
yield, are but rarely found in those waters,
ana prove valuable addition to vessels
calch. Capt. Thomas Whitelaw is now
constructing little screw steamer, sixty
hvc feet long, sixteen wide and nine deep.
WIN which hc intends To inaugurnte the
business of whaling outside the Heads.
She will be completely dccked over, 40 that
IA sea can go completely over her without
causing damage. She is built very strong
~, aud is deeper than ordinary, 80 that she
can bc drawn some distance into the water
bv IA whale, to which she may bc made fast
without danger She will be fitted with
two compound engincs-four cylinders.
She can carry coal enough for run of
thirty days, which will be stored I'm the
after part, and with the weight of her ma
chincry IL expected TO keep her propeller
submerged, To avoid the "beating" caused
ny the blades when the vessel pitches, which
can be heard by Il whale considerable
distance. and frightens him OH. The cabin
VIII be in the forward part, and will be
occupied by the crew Of five men. The
vessel Will be launched In about two weeks.
and is expected to have speed OF nine
Knots an hour. Her large coal capacity liz
TO enable her to take an Arctic trip If re-
quired. The mode of killing whales adopt
eel by this vessel TX by the whaling rocket
or bomb-lance, which can be discharged
from the vessel, which method possessca
considerable advantages over the old style
oil hunting whales in n boat and with the
land-lancc. The expectations are that an
average of ten fish will be caught each
month. When whale is dispatched the
steamer will tow him into port and land
him at the reduction works where the car
clss Will be treated by an improved process
by which every portion Will be utilized.
When whale Is caught at sea the bubber
IL stripped off, and the bone removed, after
which the carcass is set adrift, and floats
around until completely dcvourcd by sharks
and birds. Under the process TO be tried
by Capt. Whitelaw the fish will be cut into
sections, and without dis eliminating be-
tween blubbcr, flesh or bones, will be
placed in large steam-tlght tanks made of
boiler plates, into which steam at "a high
pressure and temperature will be intro.
duced, which will have the effect of COM
plctcly digcstlng the mass and separating
the OIL, which will be then drawn on The
process will be completed In about eight
hours, when the residue OF flesh and bones
will be taken out, dried, and afterwards
ground together 10 proiuce fertilizer.
The bones are valuable for this purpose on
account Of the phosphate of lime which
they will yield. Three "trys" can be made
IN day, and as three digesters have been
conslructed-each capable of containing
teh-foot section Of whalc-a large fish
can be reduced in about two days. An
Arctic whale yields from 1900 to 5000
pounds of bone, worth $2.75 pound by
the cargo at New Bedford. Each whale
also yields from 100 TO 300 barrels Of oil,
worth SO per barrel.