WHALES AND SHEEP.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 14

WHALES AND SHEEP.

THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.

Mr W. L. Allardyce, C.Jf.6., Governor of tho Falkland Islands, visiting Melbourne on furlough, lias given eoroo interesting information in regard to tho islands. . . , Mr Allardyco is a native of beotland. For many years he was connected with Fiji of which island ho was Colonial Secretary until 1904, wiien he wae appointed by the British Government to his present position of Uovernor of .the Falkland Islands. Tho islands aro a- group m the South Atlantic Ocean. There are two largo and 200 small islands, having an area of 4741 square miles. They were Uiscovered by Davis in lo'J2, colonised by tho French in 17<53, taken by tho Spaniards in 1767. and ceded to Britain in 1771. Sinco 1833 Britain has had uninterrupted possession of them.. Tho Government is administered by a Governor, an Exccutivo, and a Legislativo Council. "Of course, the area of tho islands is not very great," said Mr Allardyco when seen "but all our land now is taken up with sheep fanning. We have got all the sheep on tho land now that we can carry. Last year wo shoro about 800,000 sheep. They averaged about 7\ lb. of wool. Of course it is entirely different to your Australian wool, being a coarse variety, as suited to the climate. And then we hnvo our whaling—tho most remunerative whaling in tho world. This is carried on at tho South Sfcctlands, South Orkneys, Graham's Land, and South Georgia, there; being about 1000 men engaged in it at South Georgia and more at the other stations. "The whaling now is carried on under entirely different methods to those of the old days. Now we have a great floating factory, and tho accompanying whale boats are fitted with a gun in tho bow. For some reason tho Norwegians seem particularly we!! adapted to this class of -work, and most of it is carried out by them. The gun which is used was invented by Sen Fozen, and. without disparaging the Britishers, it may be fairly said that tho Norwegians are extremely successful. The season is very short, because in tho winter the whale. , ; cannot get down owing to the pack-ice. The season lasts from triree and a half to six during the summer." Have these industries then brought prosperity to tho inhabitants? Mr Allardyce was asked. The Governor smiled. Aro they prosperous?" ho said. "We". I thirk I am right in saving that in iho local Savings Bank at the capital there aro a little over 300 depositors, and thfv have to their credit a little over •it 1 70 000 These aro not tho big people- ■ for none of the big people have

their money there. These dcpcsiW*'. , are mostly the artisans and sLcpheu* of the islands. A peculiar featore ? . the Fatkiands is tliat■cone of the-Jaao-:, owners are resident, and their cs«»*f are managed by local manaser*.***". would seem to indicate hoy.' extreawJy prosperous they iriust be. ,;> "As I have said, all our.laJ»:« taken up with sheep farming. ■»»*• climato i» rigorous, and high v}?**?™ low barometer are the prerailfflß ***" . turo. Scotchmen, of whom therc-a» a good many on the islands, seem w stand the climate well. It is no cncommon thing in mid-summer to sw the ground covered with ' ia " ! >Y on< *£. "Wo do not trouble greatly abOßi politics," continued Mr Allawiyce. "Stanley is the seat of wwrernment. It possesses a Town Hall and a i Cathedral. We have lately ertaMisned - '-■ a wireless station to connect into Monte Video. , .... • s Th« great port of call for the Falkland Islander., of course « Pento Arenas, on, the of Matjeltan. which is only h day and a-hali!» gi from the islands It is there that . they usually go for holidays. As • matter of"act. the Falkland ehepbeg* " haVe gone to Patagonia, and are rcauj . responsible in a ercat measure for sheep farming industry winch haß beefl established there. * ■ "You will understand the. scale ob . which this sheep farming is <*rndLj» \ when I say that one run alone in Terra ■ Del Fuego has one and a-balf miltaw sheep on it. Most of the land nor, ~ ri-ht up as iar as the lower ranuea of - the Andes has been taken np by .sheep.- s and the new settlors have to jro .lor- . ther and farther out. Iho ironWe there is the severe winter. s?a son they lost i"0 per cent, or tncir- f sheep."