The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-24

Thirteen Steam and Is Sailing Vesseis-Saa
Francisco Gets the BnI.eb.
II the remarkable success OF steam whalers
IN the past season shall bring about the sub
stitution OF steam for sail power In the Ameri-
can whaling ieet. 1t will mean something mo-
mentous for the capital engaged In whaling
Steam whalers have been used on the Pacific
coast for good many years past. as they have
been In the European whaling fleets. The
great majority OF the American whal-
ing feet, however. Is still composed OF
sailing craft There has been n decrease
in the tonnage OF sailing whalers since
the census year and n slight increase In the
tonnage OF steam whalers. Tho increase. how
ever. has not been sufficient to indicate thu
speedy substitution Of steam for sails In the
whaling fleet a. whole. What Is practically
the latest official shipping list Of whaers
shows 81 vessels OF all sorts, OF these Is ars
steamers. and the remainder sailing craft
oiyarious sorts. OF the ~ sailing craft in tho
list ~ are barks, ~ schooneTs, 4 briggs, and 3
ships. The steam whalsrs are usually
larger than the sailing vessels, OF the thr;
teen steam Whalers only one Is OF less than 100
" these eight one Is of 44u tons and another
OF hi tons, while several are OF nearly 400.
100 tons thirty others are Of less than 3OO;
twenty are OF more than 3UO tons. and none Is
list Is, the bark LmmG 1. iieIrimsn OF San
lEaneiseo. The next in size is the ship Niger
o. Asw Bedford J'l tons. The whaling fleet
New BEDFORD fortN-twO, san Francisco thir;y-
iour; trovlnretowa, .; ElgaTtown 3; boston
two New London. ]. OEly two steamers nail
whaling heet carried on the list ls about
$4,000. and OF this more than 1900 tons is In
SAVING craft the tonnage 81 twelve steamers
footing up 4,Ol5 tons, and that Of the thirteenth
PeThaps It Is indicative OF certain bust
nessllke character In the 1eam whaling in
mantle and sentimental names that the SAILING
crait usually bear, some OF the steamers are
the BAHAMA and the Beluga, the NaVarch, tie
haflnk, the Orea. the Aarwhale, the Grampus
name. The sailing craft bear such names as
Bertha, Desiemona. Josephine. Kathleen and
q, dozen other personal names. or such as
morning Star Greyhound, Petrol. Sunbeam
Bounding BllOw. Hunter, and Reindeer.
al. or nearly all OF the regular sperm
whEers are sailing craft So are all the YES
20 he North Atlantic. The steam whaiers
nave peculiar advantage ia the Arctic by
reason ot the superior ease with which they
great strength forward, 81 tuat they may stand
the shock when they strike tie tee with any |
eohslderaoie momentum. They are alsO sps- |
eialiy sheathed about the water line. In order |
lee, The Transformation Of the whaling fleet ]
lnto vessels propelled In part by steam will be |
AZ expensive business. and i will doubtless |
port Only fourteen out Of New BedloTd's for !
y-two whAiers are renoTted as visiting the /
North Paeihe. which, with the Tar northwest |
Ocean. Is now he region where tho baleen- |
bearing whale Is chiefly pursued. Eleyen ~ |
the thirteen steam whAisrs now hail from an I
. qaTtsTs Nearly tho whole Of last ssason's |
Ehale catch has come or will come 70 san |
Francisco.