Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-28

chiefly of drying the whalebone, and pre-
pairing it for the market, and rendering
down the blubber into train-oiL The
flesh Of RudOlphis whale is there pre-
served on a large scale for human con-
sumption. Mr.. Collett says that the
flesh of no other fnback whale Is con-
sdered it for such a purpose. II. how
ever, the whalers of Newfoundland
should, as is probable, take many speci-
mems Of the lesser fin whale, it might be
worth while TO try the experiment Of
preparing its flesh for the market There
can be no doubt that 1t is wholesome
and nourishing, and excellent evidence
exists that it is also toothsome, so that,
If the prejudice against its use could be
overcome, there is no reason why whale
steak" preserved and put up In tins,
should not find ready sale. In 1923
specimen of this whale was entangled
among the rocks at Runtot, in Norfolk,
and killed by the fishermen. Miss Cur
ney recorded In her diary the fact that
the creature was twenty-four feet long,
and that its jaws were lined with white
whalebone. "a steak cut from IL tasted,
when cooked, like tender beef" The
porpoise-which is a toothed whale-was
formerly held in high esteem for food
in this country and in France, and in
the days Of Henry VIII and Elizabeth
was considered a royal dish.
The sulphur bottom Will probably be
the chief object OF pursuit when the
Newfoundland fishery commences opera
tons. This whale owes both its popu-
lar names to its celebration. The Nor
wegians call It the blue whale, from the
general bluish-gray of the back and
sides. and the Americans call it the sui
phur- bottom, from the yellowish cast on
"a however.
generally white in specimens met with
on this side Of the Atlantic. 1t Is, be-
yond doubt, the largest Of living ami
mails A specimen taken in the Ham,
merfest fishery measured 50 feet in
length, and yielded ninety barrels Of OIL
Scammon puts the average length at
from 90 10 100 feet, and says that cap
tain of his acquaintance gave him the
following memoranda Of specimen
taken in the Pacific: Length, 80 feet;
girth, 80 feet; yield OF baleen, 800 pounds;
yield Of oil, 10 barrels" In 1862 the
California whalers at Monterey killed one
which measured 80 feet IN length. This
immense creature was towed 10 the sta
ton, where the captorS found, 70 their
dismay, that the lifting tackle was un-
equal 70 the task Of raising the gigantic
carcass, aRd they were obliged 10 con-
tent themselves with cutting off as much
Of the blubber as could be reached above
water. RudolphPs whale, II met with
In numbers, will probably prove to DO
, profitable, not on account OF its blubber,
which is very little in this species. but
from the quality OF the whalebOne, which
Is considered 10 be more valuable than
that Of the other kinds. The Norwegian
whalers estimate the OIL obtained from
this species TO be only about one-third OF
the quantity yielded by the humpoack.
--z~---
Manufacturers in Germany are IN earn
est in perfecting some efficient and eco
nomic method OF using powdered coal as
fuel for firing boilers, and considerable
preference Is exhibited for the schwartz
kopff plan. In this, a small rotary brush
OF steel wire. needing only one-horse power
TO drive H. supplies the powdered fuel 10
the combustion chamber. and its action is
reported as quite Independent of the con-
dition OF the fuel, OF the weather, and OF
temperature. and these, OF course. are
advantages which render the apparatus
peculiarly satisfactory. AS a practical
showing OF its efficiency, the fact Is re-
corded that at a sugar refinery IN Alger-
missen there was a saving or = per cent.
OF fuel. as compared with ordinary com
, bustiOn on fire bars, while at cupOla
/ furnace in Vienna a saving OF ~ per cent.
Is stated. Another method, known as
Friedberg's, for some time past IN vogue.
( is said TO require considerable mechanical
power, as the coal dust Is fed by air pres
/ sure under a forced draught. moisture In
the fuel thus hindering the action OF the
/ plant Another system, the Wegener, has
also been resorted 10 in Germany; in this
the fuel Is fed into the tre-box by means
OF a small turbine driven by the draught
OF the chimney. 30 that the operation de-
ponds considerably on the force OF the
wind and the temperature OF the outside
air. Special machinery for grinding coal
/ into a fine dust Is now desideratum.
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