MONEY IN WHALES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 39, 10 November 1919, Page 4

MONEY IN WHALES

COPE EXPEDITION'S RESEARCHES SOME AMAZING FIGURES / Not tho least important work (o be undertaken by the Hritish Imperial Antarctic Expedition, under Dr. J. L. Cope, F.IUi.S., will be. the work it proposes to do scientifically in connection with tho whaling industry. Tho intention of those on the Terra Nova is to study an c osely as possible the seasonal habits of the whale, note its summer and winter habiials, migratory movements, etc., so that the knowledge can be put to practical use in the interests of whaling en. terprises in (lie future. The Terra Nova is capitally adapted for such work, and tor practical- whaling. i[r. Ernest M. Joyce, who is going to be second in command, says that the Terra Nova, though only 790 tons register, is one of the largc/L whalers in the world, and film will probably carry whaling guns and equipment on her voyage round the Antarctic continent. As to the value of whaling as an industry, Mr. Joyce showed a Dominion- reporter a report from Mr. ]{, G. Alossnmn, F.R.S.E. (meteorologist to the Scotia Expedition). Interesting Figures. Dealing with the South Seas whaling industry that report eaye: "The most striking example of the economic value of Antarctic exploration is to 1)8 found in tho development of tho whalo fisheries of the Falkland Islands and dependencies which owes iU inception to the enterprise of Captain Carl Larsen. Captain Larsen, when in command of the sealer Saxon, explored the east coast of Graham Land in 1892 and 1893 in search of seals and right , whales. Tho enterprise was unsuccessful, for although 'enormous -numbers of finner whalea were met. with, the appliances for their destruction were not on board, nor wa>? the vessel adapted for tho purpose, while few seals and right whales were met with. Captain Larsen. ten' years Inter (in IM2), accompanied Nord'enskjold's expedition k< Graham I/and, and on his return to Norway tried to form a company to start whaling operations. Ho bad. no "iicccss thers, but having friends in Buenos Aires lie was able to float, the C'ompania Argentina de Pesca, with headquarters at Cumberland Bay. South Georgia—a sub-Antarctic island—which, from the outset, proved, an-unqualified success. Tho dividends increased year by year, and in 1917 (the last year for which informatioK is available) was 100 per cent So successful was Captain Lursen's venture that there are now no less than seven whaling companies operating from South Georgia, ten operating from She South Shetlonds and Graham Land, three from the South Orkneys, and ono froii: the Falkland Islands. Several of the ■.onijvj.mes located on Graham Land carryon whaling in the summer months within the Antarctic circle. "In 1913 the total -production in the area was 430,000 barrels of oil—more than half the world's output—B37s tons of guano, the gross value of the products being XI ,350,000. while the industry gives employment to about 3500 men, including the crews of tho whalers and transport vessels and workers ashore mid afloat. On the island of South Georgia alone there arc -vver 1000 men employed at the whaling factories. In the season 1915-1G no fewer than 11,800 whnbs were of tiie total value of jC1.77-i.f170, each whale being worth .£l5O. There was a slight ■falling-oIY in 1916-17, when 751 C whales realised or X2DO per whale, and in 1917-18 tho value of the catch exceeded .CiflOO.OOfl. "As we have seen, this very profitable industry owes its inception to an Antarctic explorer, while the establishment of whaling stations in the far south was rendered possible by the scientific survey of polar areas by the various Antarctic expeditions—Belgian, British, Norwoiiran nnd Swedish—which explored the regions bohth and cast of Cape Horn between the year? 1893 and 1909. These .purely scientific expeditions surveyed the coasts, located suitable harbours, found the areas favoured by the whalea, and thus paved the way for commercial enterprise. Tho scientific exploration of the vast uncharted areas open to the Antarctic investigator, both on the mainland itself and on the islands lying off the continent, is a, necessary preliminary to tho initiation Jind development of whale fisheries in other portions of the south polar area. Commercial Prospects. "There is little doubt that in the era of reconstruction upon which we are now entering the demand for whale oil, edible ivhale meat, und other products of the fishery will be at least as great as in the pilot Even allowing for a reduced profit due to increased supplies, there ehould be an ample dividend from the now ventures that will certainly follow in the wake'of systematic exploration, such as Mr. Cope, proposes to undertake. "Tho scientific programme of this expedition is not without its economic application, especially in the domain of meteorology in relation to agriculture over the southern continents It is well known Hint great droughts, excessivo fains, unusual frosts, heat waves and fluhiics or reversals of planetary winds aro intimately related not only to simultaneous but also to antecedent meteorological conditions in places far removed from the regions affected Antarctic data, are absolutely necessary if the physical processes involved are to be understood, and accurate long-range weather forecasts made for the benefit of agriculture. Scanty and incomplete though our information from the .Antarctic areas has been, yet it; has formed the groundwork 'and the starting-point of useful research. Tho utilitarian aspects of tho work emerged from purely scientific and very theoretical investigations, and now information dealing with such practical problem* as the' probable seasonal rainfall of Argentina und Clii'ti, the summer temperature of the South African plateau, the intensity of the Indian monsoon and the height of the Nile fiood is. available, tho forecasts being based on previous atmospheric conditions in tho Antarct'.o and sub-Antarctic areas ns recorded at the observatories .\nd on expeditious in the far south. The probable temperature conditions in Australia can iilsa be. anticipate! by taking into consideration previous conditions iu tho M'Murdo Sound area. Only the fringe of tho subject has been touched upon Such bizarre investigations do uot appeal io the 'practical' man, who i». however, (mil* willing to take advantage of scientific. . research when it. produces finch practical advances as (he telephono, wireless telegraphy, aeroplanes, radium, antiseptic*, anti-toxins, -and Xrays. No one can tell the moment when the rc-uIN of Antarctic research may not suddenly become of vital importance in elucidating some problem that may arise bearing on public wellbeing, and it in most important that tho work which has been the- outstanding feature of geographical inlercsr in the present century should be followed up and extended in theso days."