The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24
REVIVAL IN THE
 WHALING INDUSTRY Marked Increase in Number of .. Monsters. INVITING THE HARP0ON Promise of Prosperity, Still, Demand for WhaIebone Is Decreasing So
 Far as American Women
 Are Concerned.
INVITING THE HARP0ON

From the Philadelphia North American.
 After nearly half a century of gradual decline the whaling industry is consider ately reviving-considerately because noc counting the somehow allied business of trapping for furs, whaling has been the most adventurous and romantic means of gaining a livelihood wherein Americans have engaged. Truthful stories of ad- venture, romance and song have told of the whaler's life, and it is not we'll to have such seasonings of the worlds work disappear.
 There is no sensational boom to startle in this revival, but the reports from the two principal whaler ports, New Bedford and Victoria on the Pacifc,. tell story which gives hope for the future. In all Americans reported catch of three times as many bowheads in 1907 as were caught in the previous year. and that the product is still profitable one is shown by the fact that last year the Pacific Whaling company paid dividends of 23 and Is per cent, respectively on it's preferred and common stock.
 Old whalers, whose joy in the promise sof renewed prosperity for the industry is plainly more the delight of sportsmen than captains of industry reckon that the, long partial rest from insistent pursuit which the whales have enjoyed is the reason for their appearance in larger numbers. Whales do not have large fam. flies, and the kiddes take time to grow to husky 50-ton youngsters but neverthe- less the increase and the growth are all right if slow, when the herds have half a century or so of immunity.
 Some TelItaIe Figures.
 How little, relatively. has been doing in 
 figures will show. In 1888, which was high water mark for whalebone, 5,652, 900 pounds of it was brought in, while last year the amount was only 800 pounds.
 In 1851 the old whaling barks brought in ,500 barrels of whale oil but last year only 4240. The total of United States whalers fell from 736 craft to 33.
 But just as nature has replenished the supply of raw material to gladden. the heart of the romantic, the bothersome op- erations of trade are doing things to give the practical the blues. This relates 70 whalebone.
 Only within the last var the price of that has dropped from $5.25 to $4 a pound, with scant inquiry. Wanted, society of patriotic women to campaign for a re- newed use of whalebone. If our grand- danes used up 5,50o,000 pounds of whale bone, what's the matter with the present generation?
 Time was, so it is reported, when every woman had her dress waist stiffened and moulded with several ounces of whale bone, to say nothing about what went into her corsets. What has happened? Is there near whalebone? Every wo- man who likes romance of the sea should brace up. Not with steel, but whalebone.
 There is today, or there was on March 16 according to the esteemed Shipping H. Illustrated, from which these figures are obtained 11S,OO0 pounds of whalebone, with market quiet and no sales reported. Just as the whales are doing their duty is the American woman going to neglect hers?
 Many Fascinating Stories.
 It is impossible to dig into any source Of information about whaling without coming upon fascinating stories of the long and adventurous careers of some of the famous ships in the trade three-quar- ters of century ago. It almost seems as if some of them had been preserved and made water and time proof by the cargoes they carried.
 There is the old whaling bark Canton still doing business. although she was < launched at Baltimore in 1885. She was fast packet passenger boat between Baltimore and Liverpool until 1S45, when the whaler business needed just such a ship, and she was sold to the Fuckers of New Bedford for that trade.
 She hunted whales in many waters, and on many cruises returned with oil and bone worth $100,000, picked out of the sea- You may find pictures of her in any old whaling book in the attic, printed nearly half century ago, perhaps, and that is what makes interesting the fact that the good old Canton, as late as 1901-she was 67 years old then-came into New Bedford with a whalers cargo worth $45,00O The 1908 intelligence of the good old lady, now 53, is "as sound and sturdy as any new craft afioat'
 She may last to enjoy the oily fruits of notable revival of the good old in- dustry; that is, ladies, if you will restore the whalebone stiffening to your waists.