WHALE ARTILLERY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 570, 17 April 1876, Page 3

WHALE ARTILLERY.

Or a small island opposite the town of VVadso, in the extreme north of Norway, there exists an establishment tlie like of which is probably not to be met with in auj pa»t of the world. Its most appropriate designation would be, perhaps, a slaughteryard for whales ; and Mr Foyn, its proprietor, conducts the business of capturing and cutting up the monsters in a manner peculiarly his own. Instead of fitting out the usual sized vessels, intended to make long- voyages and bring home only the most useful parts of the animal, Mr Foyn employs small—one hundred and fifty to one hundred and eighty tons-screw steamers, shoots his lish with a cannon, and has them towed back one by one, as they are captured, to the shambles at Wadso. As the fishing grounds are within easy reach of the latter, the steamers, as a rule, secure and return with a prize within twelve hours’ time. "With respect to the cannon employed, it is a gun having a chamber abonr. umr feet long ; this is mounted on the forecastle of the vessel, and, being very accurately balanced, can be easily moved to allow of an exact aim to be taken. The projectile in use consists of a long iron bolt, having at its extreme end four harpoons, bound round with a line so as to be Hat, and close to the harpoons a live or six-pounder shell. As soon as the steamer lias approached sufiieiently near to the fish —and whales off that part of the coast are not over shy, a’lowing a vessel to come within shot—the bolt is fired off, and, il well directed, penetrates deeply into the tlesh and blubber of the animal. The whab then naturally rushes off' at a furious pace, thinking thus to elude his pursuers. Unfortunately for him, however, no step could be more suicidal, for the effect (i bis rapimovement is to make the bolt slip bact ; little, thus setting free the four harpoom from the lines, and, by means of a mechani cal arrangement, causing the shell to explode. This generally proves the coup de grace, killing the fish outright; bub occasionally the animal Sis not sufficiectly hard hit, and its capture |is not so easily effected, as it dashes away at a tremendous N ecd, dragging 5'..e ste air after it.