The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-01-10

60 HAT ancient maxim that
]. / ] !. !. . j. ] 1. !. J. !. ! \ !" .
WA the worm will turn was
alarmingly emphasized on
large scale not long
ago when a whale hit the
schooner Empire on the
Grand Banks while in a
vexed mood, and obliged
TX the crew to abandon the
- vessel and to trust to the
sea in an open boat. Whether or not
there is any wide feeling of opposi-
ton to man on the part OF whaledolh
at large is open to speculation, Dut
certain It is that not long after"ard
the schooner ]. II. Bruce in the North
Pacific received a rude jar Whlch
knocked fiat those on deck and thre"
the resting members of the crew out
Of their berths. A whale had hit the
craft an uppercut of stunning violence
and then it disappeared under her
bows but not before it switched its
tail derisively and carried away the
tibboom and some of the rigging.
Both accidents followed right on
q statement from Washington urging
the Inauguration Of a closed season
for whales and they suggest the ques-
ton of whether or not these particular
whales had been-wiretapping and steal
ing secrets from the submarine ca
bles. II is a matter of record that one
whale was actually found entangled
400 fathoms down in a cable off the
Chilean coast, and this may indicate
that at least that whale paid dearly
for its inquisitiveness.
But this is not the last piece Of evil
dence regarding the attitude toward
man of these great denizens Of the
deep. Mariners on the coast Of Scot
land declare that a whale in the neigh
borhood of the Firth of Forth has
shown a striking disposition to aid
seafarers. This particular whale is
only ten feet long-possibly young and
foolish and as yet unacquainted with
the manners In which its forbears
have been harried and hunted by man
for centuries; but be this as 1t may
It has taken upon itself the task Of
plotting vessels in those waters. AS
soon as it hears the whistle of a near
ing ship It goes down the Firth
makes sure Of it's object and then
heads about and proceeds leisurely in
advance. escorting the craft until an
anchorage is reached
But 1t is not because of these later
demonstrations on the part of whal-5
that George NJ. Bowers, commission
er OF fisheries, has proposed closed
season. Ills recommendation is the
outcome of quite another situation,
and apparently devoid Of any senti-
ment except that inspired by dollars
and cents. Mr.. Bowers explains his
proposal on the following grounds:
Whales of the various species
found in North Pacific waters have
been growing less abundant in the last
decade or so. The whalers find 1t
more and more difficult each year to
secure a profitable catch. In recent
years the establishment of whaling
stations on the British Columbian
coast and out in southwestern
Alaska has caused a rapid decrease Of
whales off that coast. One or more
of re species are SO near extinction
that a closed period really ought to
be provided This, Of course, could
be brought about by international
agreement"
Despite the fact that whalers come
and whalers go at New Bedford, that
ancient home Of whaling would have
scant reason for being but for other
local industries. The whaling craft
of this old Massachusetts seaport are