The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-29
Isau Francisco Bulletin
Success Of Steam Whalers.

The Belyedere, a steam whaler which came
into port day or two ago, is the second of the
steam whalers which has been sent to the Arc
tic by way of Behring straits. Last year the
pioneer steamer, the Mary and Helen, came
down with her first catch, which was large
enough to pay for the ship and leave about
$4,000 to be divided among her owners. When
she had engaged her crew for second voyage
and began to take stores aboard, she was cold
to the government, her name changed 10 the
Rodgers, and sent into the Arctic ocean to tind'
if possible, the Jeanette. Her record has al
ready became historic By the discovery that
Wrangel land is an island. The vessel was at
one place caught on the rocks and remained
one tide, floating off without making 30 much
as leak, and went about her business as II
nothing of that kind had occurred. When this
ship was sold for about 100000, there we're all
sorts of adverse comments. 1t was said that the
owners had made good speculation and that
she was an Indifferent ship for the business of
Arctic exploration. The fact was she was at
that very time the best ship ahoat for that bust
ness, far better in every respecs than the Jean
nette, and more likely to make Driiiiaht
record in the Arctic than any ship which had
ever been sent there on exploring duty. When
she was sold to the government, the owners
broke up voyage which had every prospect OF
being as lucrative as the first one. Had they
retained the ship, she would probably be now
in this harbor with report not unlike that Of
the Belvedere-that is, q catch. worth some
where in the neighborhood of 100000, and the
ship clear again Tor the next voyage.
The Belvedere was launched last summer al
one of the ship-yards in Maine. She is owned
by New Bedford parties, and is very much
such ship as the Mary and Helen, with a few
improvements, such as placing the capin on
deck and having clear run below tor tne
storage of oil She has already earned ner COST,
and will refit early in the spring and start fcr
the Arctic. A third steam whaler, the North
Star, has recently been launched from the same
yard, fitted and sent to sea. She IS now on ner
way to Honolulu, and Will sail irom tnat port
early in the spring for the Arcsic. Nearly one
half of this ship is owned by parties in Oak
land and San Francisco, some OF whom pre-
ferred a steam whaler to doubtful bonanza in
terests. This ship will adhere to the custom Oh
fishing for sperm whales by the way, and ex-
poets to reach Honolulu with enough oil to pay
for the voyage to that port
It is understood that fourth steam whaler
is now on the stocks similar to those which nave
been previously launched VIZ, a Dark-rlgged
vessel. perfect in model as sailing vessel, with
auxiliary steam power capable OF driving her at
the rate of seven to eight knots an hour, with
consumption of coal not exceeding four or nve
tons in "a hours. Capt Owens of the Beivedere
arrived on the. Whallng- g-grounuS Ol Ihc AlvtiV
rather late in the season. Some OF the sailing
vessels had already taken considerable num-
Der of whales, and they expected to beat the
steamer by long way. But later in the sea-
son the latter went into narrow leads in the ice,
where no sailing vessel could 60, and then her
facilities told in her favor. The last three
ghaes that were struck were not secured, and
Capt Owen says he shall never be quite recon-
ciled to that loss. He goes to Honolulu to take
the new ship North Star, and, II successful as
oI xufH iu this harhOr ahOu6 a wear
hence with oil and bone enough to pay for an
other steam whaler. The fleet will be aug
mented By one new ship year from the same
ward. One of the owners in these steam
whaers is the principal owner OF IL whalers
with sails only, number of which are now rid
ing at anchor in this harbor.
The success of these steam vessels has al
ready attracted much attention. One or two
similar vessels will shortly be built somewhere
on this coast, probably on the Columbia river