New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-29
THE WHALING INDUSTRY.
CQnada's Crusade against the Amer
leans Engaged an 1t.


Newfoundland seal ship the Neptune. with armed
expedition headed by Major Noodle, OF the North
west Mounted Police, who bears a commission as
Governor OF Hudson Bay" with the object OF
driving out the New-Bedford whalers who have
been wintering IN that region Tor years past To
enforce similar policy against the san Francesca
whalers who penetrate Behring STRAIT and nsh
along Canaaa's northwest seaboard 10 Eerschen
Island at the mouth OF the Mackenzie River. she
has Sust purchased the Antarctic steamer Gauss,
from the German government and will send her TO
that remote region 10 drive out the American
whalemen who gather there
AS an additional weapon bin is now being
enacted by the Canadian Parliament requiring
every vessel prosecuting the whale fishery In her
waters TO obtain a license 10 do such 10 be is
British subjects only. and under special con-
ditions as to converting into marketable products
the carcasses Of the whales taken. the license TO
cost $1,000 q year. and the penalty for fishing with
il to De $500 a day. About ten years ago the
ottawa Fisheries Department caused notices TO be
sent 10 New-Bedford. San Francisco and other
ports IN the United States where whalers OUTFIT
notifying them that Canada claimed territorial
jurisdiction the adjacent northern coast line
and waters already described But no steps
were taken 10 assert this jurisdiction effectively
except that an expedition some seven years ago
hoisted the British flag al two places where
United States citizens had established whaling
stations. and had done more or less Illicit trading
with the natives IN the vicinity. in direct contra
vention OF Canada's revenue laws.
No attempt. however. made 20 enforce either
the fishery or revenue laws against them. and the
present anti-American campaign is the first decided
assertion of sovereignty by the Dominion IN this
respect II threatens. too. be a severe blow 10
industry at the lowest ebb in its fortunes
but which might. through the steadily increasing
prices whale products. substantially rehabili
tated Only recently the cables told OF sales in
London OF two tons OF whalebone at $1,000 a ton,
and THAI the worlds visible supply comprised only
four tons more. The finest grade OF whalebone is
obtained from the mighty ha
North and II the American whalers are not TO have
access 20 the waters Canada claims the results
must be disastrous TO ar avocation once among the
most important along the Atlantic sesboard
No seafaring pursuit has declined in the last
half century Ike whaling. The United States IN
1855 had whaling feet OF 7O2 vessels whose aggre-
gate catch valued at So S5l oOo The rebel pTi
vateeTs OF the Civil War swept the OF them.
and IN 1856 the industry had shrunk IN value 10
tlOT6.0oo The discovery and utilization or the
product OF the Pennsylvania oil fields completed the
work. and bv 1850 the whaling products yielded only
t2665. 600 IN 1855 their worth $500 and only
sehty-1ve ships were employed. In 1902 the fleet
was reduced 10 forty vessels, and the catch TO
pSS5OOO in value the prices advancing with the
scarcity OF stocks OF oil and bone The British
whaling industry has suffered a similar eclipse.
Fifty years ago the Scotch boosted $40 steam whal
ers. the finest in the world, while season ago the
Alert. the only survivor, lost IN Cumberland
Gulf. The other British whalers IN 1855 numbered
thirty-eight while only four sail from the
British Isles altogethe-, fishing of Hudson Strait.
the Greenland waters being abandoned. so poorly
have they paid lattarly. Newfoundland, which also
prosecuted this northern whaling has given IL up
Rnd turned her attention the chase Of the
quail whales on her own coast, with much more sat
lsfactory results.
It IS. OF course, the hurting Of the 'bowhead."
mighty arctic whale distinct from the cachalot,
or sperm whale OF the tropics, or the rorqual.
fnback VIII e. OF the Atlantic, which is 10 be
denied TO tls New-Englaud and California whalers
II Canada has her way. In 1892 Yankee ship
alone brought back from Hudson Bay 1000 pounds
OF whaebone valued SIS 900. while last year
other had $500 pounds her catch Of almost equal
value. During these years the British whaers
secured in the 1900 pounds and u 800
pounds, respectively. so that If the Americans
excluded from that the British whalemen
stand 10 augment their catch by 80 10 90 per cent,
as Canada has no whalers Of her own. In the
Northwest Passage waters, where the San Fran
cisco Whalers fish, they enjoy absolute monopoly.
British ships visiting there that Canadas
action has the excuse that II is designed
preserve the scanty fruits of this declining industry
for her own people.
MAGNITUDE IN THE PAST
In these modern days Il IS difficult TO credit that
this arctic whaling attained the magnitude
which history claims for H. sun facts and fig
ures beyond dispute prove that IN bygone days tho
northern whales we're so abundant that whole fleets
were employed IN catching them. and the rivalry OF
the several nations often led TO grave disputes.
Dutch British, Danish, Russian. French German
and Bscayan whalers competed for the spoil Of the
arctic seas. So prosperous the pursuit that
the Dutch built at Amsterdam Island, on the north
coast OF inhospitabe SpitzberFen station that in
time became town. called SmeercnbeTg (Ou City.
with shops, inns and Notifications. The fishing
then comparatively easy. the whale ships lying
along the coast, mOored 10 whales ribs Embedded
IN the lank Ike posts while boats killed the ceta-
IN the ofng. and the oil being extracted from
the blubber. TO Holland in freighters as
the whalers could not carry it all. Thousands OF
Dutchmen resorted TO Smeerenberg and hot rolls,
dear TO their hearts. served at breakfast daily
Yet for forty years past whaling has been aban-
doned IN Holland.
The Dutch first introduced whaling into the New
World. having embarked in it in their early days
IN what is New-York, and they hunted the
rorQuals OF Long Island and the bowheads along
Labrador. From them the Puritans took II up and
II IN time became a ma!nstay OF New-E England.
Prior 70 the War OF Independence the Yankee
v1aaiemen hshed without hindrance OF Newfound-
land. and among the prizes brought into St Johns
BY British frgates during that struggle. and
again In isl2. many American whaleships
When the treaty OF 1878 restored them their fishery
status they resumed the pursuit and continued IL
by them and in 1874 a bowhead was killed by a
New-Beoford vessel of Bonne ksperance, Belle Isle
sus1L from whose mouth taken whslebone
~ feet long THIS was monster. for the bone"
~ 10 the Atretae length or this bone which makes
u 50 valuable; that from the rOrouals only from
two 70 four feet long and fetches only 30 cents
ponno as against - a pound for the other. The
powheaos carry a princes ransom IN their jaws,
pounds. worth $4,000 a ton About sixteen years
ago one was killed in Hudson Bay which yielded
double fringe OF IL ike man with double teeth
men began frequenting hudson BAY As the nniehtv
but timorous bowheads. so-called from the massive
long, found themselves decimsted by the hunters
eounsratye sec,ry ~ hts 'y githdrS% to The
enjoyed respite from utter determination for a