Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-14
EARLY WHALING INDUSTRY.
Some of Those Who First Went Out From
New England.
C.. a. Williams in New London Tele-
graph

C.. a. Williams in New London Tele-
graph
The earliest records Indicate that one
william Hamilton was the first person
who killed whales on the New England
coast. He was born in Scotland in 1913.
and. coming 70 this country in the early
part Of his life, took up his residence at
Cape Cod, whore he was prosecuted BY
the inhabitants for killing whales, as one
who dealt with evil spirits. Whaling was
afterward carried on by a Mr.. Paddock,
who went 10 Nantucket about the middle
OF 1880 for the purpose OF instructlng the
English in the art Of whaling in boats
from the shore. which business continued
good and profitable until 1860. when It
diminished In consequence Of the scarcity
OF whales. In i7lS whales were pursue
on the ocean In small sloops and schoon-
ers Of from thirty to fifty tons: the blub-
Der WAS brought home and tried or boiled
In try-hOuses. y few years later vessels
Of larger burden were employed. and the
oil boiled out in try-works at sea.
In 1875, the year Of Burke's great speech.
Nantucket had 80 vessels AMI employed
in them 300 men on whaling voyages.
who took annually about 5000 barrels
Of oil. These. therefore. were the men
VINO drew lpItn DulhF : euCDUllGiu. III
1894 the ship Commerce. owned in East
Madam, sailed from New London on a
whaling voyage. She made two voyages.
AMI arrived on her last trip July 6. 1928.
after cruise OF fifteen months, with a
fun cargo Of oil. She was then put into
the merchant service. This was not UNI
usual. as witnessed by the ship Criterion,
from Brazil banks, May 4, l79S. with
400 barrels of OIL 1i.pD pounds OF bone,
and 800 seal-skins. The Gazette says:
The Criterion. owned by General VIII
liams, sailed armed for Bilboa, from
New London, September Il. 1883, Captain
S. Clay"
In 1875, April 18th. the following notice
appeared IN the New London Gazette:
"All persons who wish to be interested in
a whaling company. to be established In
this place, are requested 10 meet at
Miners tavern at O'Clock i. NJ. on
Monday. the 10Th instant, to consider on
the most proper means to promote said
establishment" Evidently the response 10
this call was insufficient. as 1t led to no
material result. The next effort was from
Norwich. In 1873 company was there
formed for prosecuting the sealing and
whaling business. They fitted the follow
ing vessels-viz: Ship susannah and
schooner Oneco, which sailed from New
London In October, 1879. The ship Mian-
tonomah sailed in April, 1880 and the
ship Mars. This energetic attempt was
worthy of better fate than fell to its
lot. The Susannah was wrecked on the
Brazil banks, and the three other vessels
were seized and confscated by the
Spanish authorities at Valparaiso.
In 1895 another trial was made from
New London. a whaling company was
formed mainly through the efforts OF DR..
II. +. Lee, whose memory should be
cherished as the brave physician who
was faithful to his profession and his
post when all others ded during the
scourge OF yellow-feyer which prevailed
there in 1898. The company purchased
and fitted up the ship Dauphin. built at
Pautucket Bridge, by Captain John Bar
Der. with especial reference TO the whal-
Ing business. She sailed for the Brazil
banks, September 6, 1906, and returned
with her cargo OF oil, June Il, 1906 The
ship Leonidos was bought, and the two
vessels sailed in August, 1906, and re-
turned In 1877 with full cargoes The COM
peny added another vessel to its iist-the
ship Lydia-and the three sailed for the
coast OF Patagonia. They all returned In
1908 with good catches, but only the
Leonidos Is reported as sailing again that
year. Then followed the embargo, nom
intercourse. and war; From this period
the shadows darkened. until all our COM
merce was entirely broken up.