The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-16

ucIc Is very SLldil CuduCe IHdl
any of the fleet of steam whalers
will ever again sail to the north.
Until within a few years it was
truly said: There's never a law
of God or man runs north of
Fifty-three."
This Is no longer the case. The
revenue cutter services dispense
law in the Arctic now, and the
agents say it is capricious and ar
bitrary authority which adds the
last risk and establishes a prohibit
ton upon the whaling industry
there. When the revenue cutter
officer overhauled the steamer
: William Baylies couple of sea-
sons ago and placed Captain Bod
fish under arrest, ordering him to
report at Nome October 1, the voy-
age of the ship was broken, and
the owners and men lost thousands
of dollars, as it was necessary for
the ship to leave in the height of
the whaling season. From the ma
tnre of the Arctic whaling business
it often happens that the crews
comprise desperate and dangerous
men. There is bound to be con-
finual trouble, and if the revenue
officers can take the captains out
of their ships upon complaints of
such men and thereby break voy-
ages the chance is one no investor
will take. The agents do not ex-
pect the masters of their vessels
shall escape the consequences of
misbehavior; but if they are &C.
cused, they say, there can be no
harm in waiting for the return of
the vessels before making an ar
rest. Captain Bodfish, it may be
added, was acquitted of the
charges brought against him.
The whaling agents say the
shore traders conspire against
them, and have used the mission
aries, who are themselves traders
in many cases, to make representa-
tons to President Roosevelt, as
result of which the revenue serv-
ice has been unduly exacting.
Many of the whalers have en-
gagged in trading, and have incensed
the shore traders by getting, in
some cases, a monopoly of the bus
mess. The methods of the whalers
have not been different from those
of the shore traders, but a ship can
be held to an accounting where a
detached trader cannot. In some
ships trading is forbidden, the
owner taking the ground that the
time wasted with the natives can
be more profitably employed in
whaling; but some of the men of
the ship may carry on a private en-
terprise, and the owners suffer
vicarious punishment in greater
degree than the actual offenders.
At best the whaling ventures in
the Arctic are not as profitable as
Is generally assumed. 1t costs
about $4,000 to fit a vessel for a
voyage. Assuming the ship escapes
the countless perils and takes
three whales, which is a fair aver
age catch, or better, this means a
revenue Of $4,000. 1t requires
$4,000 to settle the voyage, and
II the vessel is to be sent to sea
again the $4,000 is required for
refitting. The whales have been
reTeating TO the north and east
and 1t Is only under the most ia.
yorable circumstances a vessel can
chase them to their last stand and
get out before the pack closes in
upon them.
These circumstances, in connec-
ton with the alleged oppression of
the government, has led the owners
to take their profits and retire from
the enterprise. The vessels will
lay up in the San Francisco docks,
and II Is doubtful If they ever
again hear the foe pack clear and
the blast OF the old bull whale" II
may be the whalemen may fit out
sailing vessels and make occasion.
al voyages to the Arctic, but II is
! safe 70 predict that the doom OF
the steam whaler is sealed.
No steam whaiers have been
built In many vaara aud II to non,