The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-29

has been identified with the whaling business
=, whaling is pretty. nearly dead" he said.
and New Bedford Is lucky or wise lip not dying
Is o 9y Sp5 @
alta whqrf and unload. Then Water street vas
| and the city, besides being the greatest whal.
ing port in the world, was, the richest, town OF
| i might have been II fifteen years ago or more
| tho people hadn't recognized that there was
of vo I'm oe beT 80 snd
| crgy. They put their money into spindles. and
soon changed Now Bedford from prominent
| seaport into o manufacturing town. The re.
has been saved from Becoming oipGdt ead.and-
contributed TO n speeder decay OF whaling, Tor
one Of the important features OF what Is left to
mSnR STUDY Of f. Ths @od don
into II any more, and their places are taken by
every year vessels are Withdrawn from the
business and abandoned or putt to other uses
better for those who remain, but somehow as
fast as the supply of oil decreases the demand
he same rheo Is omser
any demand for sperm oil for lighting pur
poses. Formerly the Government. In drawing
up contracts for lighthouse supplies, stipulated
that speTm oil should be used. Now the, lights
are supplied with earth OIL The only use
is now put is lubricating. and after
earth oil drove sperm out OF tho business OF
Whale oils 81 so for iubricatnS caused the demand
and price to remain pretty much the same.
We used to export great quantities to England
900 barrels as recently as 1878 to 5000 in 1859.
ufacturing in England. but that there is moro
OF It. and fierce comnettton, has caused econ
Substitute for whales oil in some ON " composIton
cheaper than the other, and viii do FOR NOS most
s sHS r10 dSS Il Vas rv'tssSi IeE
down somewhat until during the war they
came to as high as S225 tSp sperm AND Sl;45
IL and
In 1858, with sperm ut 62 cents and whale at
and 9S cents respectively. That this decline has
boon accompanied by corresponding de-
business, and by u decrease In the consump-
ton. may be seen from this: On jan l, 1860.
here were 1oG Vessels OF ~ 1 deascrp
gagged; tho product was upward Of 100000 bar
rels; on Jan. last there we're err y vessels 49,
product IN these figures docs not mean the
entire amount takon In that year but the
To"sHS B RRT G s p eMs
number OF vessels listed for the whaling, bust
hess Saa bs 0W% essrS cv e
or two more actually in commission. There is
another element that contributes to the low
would. Of course, vary with the supply, The
demand is not steady, but several whaemen
would greatly decrease eth the supply have stored
their oil rather than let 1t go at the prevailing
figures cure Down on the wharyes you will lind
Some Of 1t has been there for years. That sup
ply acts as a balance when boats. come in with
a poor catch The Importation is less. but the
owners OF tho 1900 barrels lump into tho mar |
kot or are there already rather, and they have |
upon what is brought in during the year
Whaling used to be most fascinating husi-
voyage was venture In which good luck,
skill. and the state Of the market entered to |
vessel, from the owners to the men before the |
indo :; fascnasion In the work Of fitting
out a vessel for a cruise. 1t took q month or
six weeks. and in this time everybody was on
being, arranged; provisions were being bought
being ' done In Which everybody took lively
Interest. 1t isn't 80 now With what Is left OF
Friends and neiEhbors are not not to
,tYP leading business thorought,are: There
here Is now much less hunting OF whales than
ormery 1t will doubtless be castor to capture
9e multiplying faster than before"
nave arrived at this port during 1890. Except
heir daylts are of iron instead Of wood. and
'pars and rigging, they look Ike twin sisters
u the Rousseau. They had only two features
lot observed on the older vessel. One WAS a
furnace bull. of brick and iron upon the deck.
oyer which tho trying kettles were in place.
Everything was in repair. OF course, no anchors
lad been chucked into the forecastIe. and there
vas no lack Of paint upon the sides The other
eatnre on ono Of them at least was an ancient
mariner still In the service. who was summing
himself against the port bulwark. He was the
'nly man on board. Was the Captain or any OF
no officers about the dock?
Mop All to home"
" Arc you tho ships keeper"
Mop Pleased to show you round. though"
He began by bringing out an iron or
arpoon and explaining how It was fastened
o wooden handle and hurled into the whale
rom small boat.
Besides these" he said, they have a new