The morning call., 1893-07-16
IN THE SOUTH SEA.
onerm and Black Whales
Are Abundant.
NEGLECTED INDUSTRY.
A Chance for the San Francisco
Fleet i'm the Off Season-Catches
rlade by Scotch Whalers'

rlade by Scotch WhalerS.
ONLY a few years ago the South sea
whaling industry was very lid poi '"N'
one. and merchants who had vessels eh-
gagged in that trade as rule tiourisheu anu
chuckled over their profits.
In 1S46-47 thIrty-five American vessels
were engaged in sperm whaling III lhe
Southern Ocean and good voyages "ere
then almost the invariable rule; their az
gregate tonnage amounted to 253. Ivy tohs'
but soon after that date the southern
whale fisheries began to decline ana tue
grounds gradually became worked out
either by the whales being killed on or Dy
their having to seek refuge among the
Antarctic ice fields to the southwark,
where the sailing vessels that we're shen
engaged in fishing could not safely pene-
trate.
In addition to the whalers that flew the
stars and stripes, quite a number halled
from Australia, New Zealand and las
mania Whaling was one Of the most
important and fourishng Industries I'D
Sydney, New South Wales, for many
years. but as the southern fisheries became
deserted this industry declined IN proper
ton until it may be said to have almost
completely collapsed, and for the last
twenty or twenty-five years there mas peen
little or no whaling carried on IN the
South Seas. and the whales. through nav
ing remained unmoleSted Tor so long a
period, have again become very numerous.
This fact is we'll substantlated by tile
large numbers of whales that have been
Flt- l,,t
South Seas. These reports have already
attracted the attention of European whale
fishers. with the result that three steam
whalers left Dundee for the Anlarctlc
whaling grounds last fall, and returned I'D
the spring with very satisfactory catch,
and it is certain that other Scotch whalerS.
as we'll as several from Norway ana
Sweden, will sail for the southern whaling
grounds this season.
Right whales have been notably numer-
Gus off the Australian and New Zealand
coasts during the past winter. Captain j.
B. Carpenter OF Sydney. writing recently,
states he saw right whales twenty-three
times between October 13 and the end of
November, and tnen followed the whales
down south as far as he dared go with his
sailing vessel, on account of the ice.
Sperm whales must he very numerous
and on the increase. for the same gentle
man says that in 1888 he saw "sperm
WndItS on StNtuby-SiA ulncLCut uoJo "
tM cen October and March.
By all accounts South Sea whaling must
be AN exceedingly profitable undertaking
if whales are as plentiful as recent re-
ports claim they are; for If whaling paid
when bone was only $3.50 to $500 per ton.
| what would the profits be at the present
market value OF whalebone. which now is
worth from SO 80 to SIS per pound? In
| August, 1892. he best whalebone reached
as high as f2925. or S14, $50 per ton.
| The whale bone of commerce consists OF
the baieen plates OF the right whale. Three
kinds of whalebone are recognized by
traders, the Greenland, from the Green
land whale (Balana mysticetus), the Soutn
Sea, from the Antarctic black whale
! Ba ana Australis), and the American OF
Pacific whalebone. obtained from the
aGfniea y T4s K hatlssg sgnIs4 TPis Is
has first 10 be cleaned and scraped and
then boiled for ten or twelve hours to
bring it INTO proper condition for use.
An average-sized Arctic whale wi yield
from about 1000 TO 1860 pounds of whale
bone.
Last October it will be remembered that
the small steam whaler Mary d. Hume re-
turned to San Francisco with the phenonl-
email catch of thirty-eight whales, aggre-
eating 56. 600 pounds of bone in all and al
time when whaleb0ne was fetching So
per pound.
It is on record that a Peterhead Scot
land whaer captured forty-four whales in
one season. the oil of which was worth
$4,000. and another whaler OF Dundee,
under Captain Adams. brought home the
produce of thirty-Seven whales. including
eighteen tons of baleen. Common whale
oil from the black whale is worth about
$50 per barrel. but the sperm whale oil IS
far more valuable than that.
The large school OF whales lately seen in
70 Snuth Paoi6o cbnnl6 iply bp sniff
cient encouragement for American whale
men, especially as the northern fishing can
only be carried on for six months OK the
year, and the vessels have then to be idle
during the winter season. IL whaling men
can send vessels to the South Sea fisheries
from Scotland and Norway why not from
San Francisco, which Is so much nearer?
The ports in the South Seas are as open
for the American as for the British
whaler, so that he can obtain equal advan-
tages for unloading. tranShipping and re.
fitting.
The value of the southern fisheries may
be easily estimated by the fact that in 1850
100000 pounds of whaebone were i'm
ported into the United States. the greater
portion of which was the production of the
South Sea whales.
If steam whalers we're used the whalers
could safely follow the whales right up to
and among the ice without that risk that
WOuiu ehuanger Tue Salilns snip.
Besides whale-fishing there are abun-
dance of seals near the southern icefields.
thousands of them having been seen by
Ross near Victoria Land during that navi-
gators Antarctic discoveries.
The prospects Of good profits from South
Sea whaling certainly seem good enough
10 engage the attention Of San Francisco
steam whalers.
Besides oil and whalebone another valu-
able substance called ambergris is OBJ
tanned from the sperm whale, which is
worth about $50 per ounce. Ambergris
(gray amber) is a fatty substance of an
ash-gray color. with reddish or yellow
stri& like those of marble. 1t is found in
Jumps of from half an ounce to 100 pounds
and upward floating on the sea or washed
on the shore in different parts OF the world
and is often taken from the bowels or the
spermaceti whale by the whale-tshers. IL
is almost certain that all of it is produced
by the sperm whale, and that 1t is NOR
bid secretion in the intestinal canal OF that
animal. derived from the bile Ii Is hlshiy
valued on account Of its agreeaDie smell
and is much used in perfumng. 1t Is also
in demand for medicinal purposes In some |
parts Of ASIA and Africa. aud also IN cook |
ery as q condiment.