VICTORIA'S FIRST WHALING VENTURE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1538, 9 July 1873, Page 4

GLOVE CONTESTS.

VICTORIA'S FIRST WHALING VENTURE.

Victoria has riot been successful in her first efforts in the whaling business. The first whaler sent out from the port of Melbourne was the Victoria,, which was equipped some three or four years ago by Messrs Osborn, Cushing, and Co., and was placed under the command of an experienced master. She went on her way. In due time a quantity of oil was received from her, and she voyaged on to those far-north seas where the American arctic fleet usually fish- Luck was against her. She had taken several whales, and would have returned to Victoria after a successful trip but that she was embayed during a storm inßehring's Straits, and wrecked. The master and a number of the crew escaped, and wintered with the natives. The spring released them, and they were able to return to Melbourne. Then the same firm which owned the Victoria resolved to repeat the adventure. They bought the barque Mary Hamilton, of Sydney, and fitted her out in Hobson's Bay in the best manner. She was placed in command of the master of the wrecked Victoria, and great hope was entertained that her voyage. would be successful, and would lead to the establishment, of. a whaling fleet: from the port of Melbourne. These expectations, unfortunately, have riot Seen realised. The Mary Hamilton went to sea, and was not luard of for some months, when a Hobart Town whaler, returning to harbor, spoke of her as having been signalled " clean." Weeks afterwards ishe .was reported as with only one whale. This was bad enough, but worse remained behind. On Saturday the news from New Zealand, telegraphed from Sydney, reported the Mary *Hamilton\ as having been .wrecked ai Norfolk 'lsiaiidjlof allfplaces under the sun:! * It- was i understood when the ship - sailed than the dangers of the Arctic Seas were not again to be tempted, and. Colonial whaling men do not-seemtp think that the Antartic Ocean is wortn visiting. The Mary Hamilton was upon what is known as the middle grounds, which, Americarisj Tasraanians, and Frenchman alike visit in search of the Bperm whale. -No other catastrophe has been reported by the whalers ,in those seas for many years. Only one.of the Hobart Town fleet, now £ numbering some 3& or 40 vessels, has been wrecked for* years past ; and then it arose from the vessel being driven from her anchors during a gale in Queen Charlotte Sound. It is strange, therefore, as well as a matter of regret, that the first efforts of Vjictorian whalers should have/ been so unsuccessful."