The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04
IMPROBABLE WHALE HUNT.
vEW METHOD WITH STEAMERS
AND SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS.
Newfoundland Industry That Too Much
Competition spoiled-SO Many Men
Engaged in Business whales We're
killed Oh-EneCt on Cod Fishing.

Killed Oh-EneCt on Goa FISHING
+, the history of modern industrial enter
oriao no cola pse has been more remark
able, even though on a small scale, than
,bat Of the whaling industry in Newfound-
land. Only in 1893 was it i~naugurated,
and while in the meantime it has attained
MORMON magnitude for the island, 1t Is
now in the throes Of dissolution, says a
ST. Johns correspondent Of the Boston
T,ouscript. This whaling industry is not
n be confounded with the better known
mra,lits which have beer 30 eloquently
described by Scoresby, Dana and Bullen,
lint a modern enterprise conducted very
largely along scientific lines.
Modern whaling, as pra ctised In New
tolndland, represents the chase OF the
nroual, or racer whale, the speediest OF
ali the tribe Of ceta ceans, and one which
hitherto could not be pursued because OF Its
a~lertness and speed. To-day this whale is
chased by small but swift steamers OF about
i'm tons burden, on the bow Of which Is
mounted a small mortarlike cannon, which
throw a harpoon with an explosive head,
Ared by a time fuse and bursting usually
IN the interior Of the fish, killing 1t almost
Instantly, this weapon being a substitute
for the hand harpoon formerly used.
These steamers operate from stations
along the coast and kill their prey within a
ndius of a days run, whereas old time
whalers made long voyages, being months
and sometimes years away from home.
The new method provides factories at
suitable points on the coast to which the
whales are brought, when killed, to be out
up. every morsel of the gigantic body being
turned to some commercial use.
In 1898 the enterprise started with n
steamer and one factory, and within two
wears had become so successful that 1t was
paying dividends Of 50 per cent. This in
duoed another company to start, which had
equal success; and then the development
Of the industry took on the cter Of a
craze, pure and simple. Everybody wanted
10 invest in the whaling industry and COM
panies were organized every day. The
legislature then interviewed, and to pre-
vent the total destruction of the fish. en-
acted a measure for the regulation OF the
Industry. 1t divided the coast into fifty
mile sections, within which only one steamer
and one factory were to be allowed to oper-
ate, while there were other limitations
against excessive fishing which ended to
keep the industry within bounds.
Immediately this legislation was out
lined SPECTATORS began to secure sites
within these areas, which sites. being OBJ
tanned frequently for nothing were then sold
to whaling companies for large amounts.
In some cases from $500 to $4,000 was
asked and obtained for the concession, this
representing about is per cent. of the capt.
tai stock of the companies, for the holders
Of the sites declined to take cash payments,
demanding stock, because Of the large
dividends which they felt certain it would
bring.
The business grew 80 rapidly that in
1905 no less han seventeen steamers with as
many factories were operating many the
coast Of Newfoundland, the aggregate
capitalization being about 81 500 900. At
this point disaster befell them, f~orewarning
Of which had been given the previous year
but without attracting serious attention.
The catch Of whales gradually rose from
IS in 1893 to 1918 in 1904, but whereas a kill
Of 900 or 700 whales for four steamers meant
q substantial profit, a kill OF / 900 or 1900
whales by ten or twelve steamers presaged
serious loss. In 1904 most OF the COM
panies paid but small dividends, and in
1905 four new steamers we're introduced,
the result being that all were faced with
heavy deficits when operations closed at the
end Of the last year.
The season was, in the first place, a bad
one, and the price Of oil, because of over
supply from Norway and Newfoundland,
bad dropped considerably, having declined
from sl25 to SEQ a ton in three years, In
the next place. the catch was very small,
not ~totalling 1000 whales for the seventeen
steamers employed, one of these, indeed,
representing a company capitalized at
$4,000, failing to secure a single fish,
while the highest killed was "a, as against
26 for a single steamer in 1902.
II Is easy to understand what the re-
suits Of such operations must be. With
the exception OF three, all Of the COM
panies had to go into voluntary liquida-
ton. this necessity being accumulated by
the Newfoundland Government exacting a
license fee Of 81 500 per for every
steamer and factory, this sum having to be
found In addition to the money actually
lost In operating.
So serious did the situation become
ultimately, because Of its important bearing
on the general business of the colony-this
whaling business employing about 500 men
that representatives of the whaling con-
Germs waited upon'the Government, asking
Tor remission Of the license fees, and such
amendments in the whaling laws as would
enable them to operate in future years
without having to meet such a heavy obli-
gallon, as otherwise the industry would
have to he abandoned entirely. The Gov
eminent has undertaken to amend the
statute in such fashion as to meet the altered
situation. Probably all but $500, 900 of the
N'5Go,OOO invested in the industry has been
lost entirely. the original companies being
Sill in a position to keep above water.
though their dividend paying possibilities
are practically nil.
The experience Of Norway has been that
'he industry has been operated on a large
scale for more than thirty years without |
erecting any sensible diminution in the an
parent visible supply, and although the bow
mead and the cachelot whales have been
hunte for centuries they are yet sufficiently
numerous to provide employment for a
goodIy number of American, English and