WHALERS FROM THE ANTARCTIC

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1930, Page 3

WHALERS FROM THE ANTARCTIC

SUCCESSFUL SEASON REPORTED

AV ELLINGTON, March 7

Advice that the # whaling factory -hips, C. A. Larsen and Sir James Clark Ross were due at Stewart Island thi.4’ week-end, has been followed bv the news that tl)e giant Norwegian floating factory, Kosmos, is dee here at noon on Wednesday. The Kosmos arrived at Wellington, •11 lier maiden voyage from Sandejford, Norway, on October 7th, and left October 12th for thci whaling grounds. She was then accompanied ■bv seven chasers (Kos I. to Kos‘ VII.), Hut; according to advice received today, she is bringing only six back with her.

The Kosmos is not only the world’s largest whaling factory ship, but she is also the largest Norwegian-owned vessel of any description. The Kosmos has evidently spent a good season among the whales, for she is returning laden with the equivalent of 116,(KX) barrels of oil. She lias a total capacity for 120.000 barrels. After replenishing her stores the Kosmos will leave as soon as possibles on the return voyage to Sandcjford, Norway. Her chasers, however, will winter here, .and undergo any necessary repairs.

Tim return of the Kosmos recalls the fact that her whaling; expedition was not without its tragedy. On December 29th Lief Lier. pilot of the Kosmos’s Gipsy Moth aeroplane, .accompanied by Dr Tngvald Schreiner, the ship’s doctor, left the mother ship and no trace of them has since been found.

WHALERS RETURN

WITH HUGE OIL CARGOES

INVERCARGILL, March 9

Two factory ships of the Norwegian Rosshavet Whaling Coy, the “0. A. Larsen” and the “Sir James Clark Ross.” returned to their base at Stewart Island yesterday, after an adventurous cruise of four and a half months >n the Antarctic regions. Both ■ hip- are heavily loaded with whale oil. the value of which is estimated at half a million sterling.

The operations for the season wore highly successful. Tn many ways, the pons»n proved to he an ortaordinary one in the history of the industry n the south. The competition was made over-kemi by reason of the fact that five factory ships, representing four rliff ->•••'"* •.<-.»!r-n> ,: ps. were operating ;n the locality that formerly was the preserve of the Rosshavet Coy., where,

throughout, the season was extremely rough, iuid the io-i pack was too thick for penetration until'late "in the fishing period, and the operations wove principally confined to the outer fringe, with the result that.'practically no whaling was done in the Ross Seal which is usually the chief area covered.

Accidents of various typos were frequent throughout the season, the most tragic due. being the less of an aeroplane with two meii attached' to the “Kosmos/’ which was on its first cruise in the winding area. In addition the expedition lost the chaser * ‘Southern Star,’ ’ the most' succssf u I of’ the chasers operating with tlie factory ship “Southern Princess.” ■ All of the factory ships which penetrated the ice to Ross ' Sea late in the season were'more or less damaged, two of them springing serious leaks, which involved a good deal of pumping to keep down the rising water. The “C. A. Lai.sen” has a cargo of 77,000 barrels of oil, of an estimated value of £377,000. This is the second catch for this vessel,' exceeding the' previous record of the ship by 4000' barrels.

The “Sir James Clark Ross,” however, was not so fortunate and she 1 returned with 31,000 barrels, which were valued at £IOO.OOO.

The new factory ship “Kosmos,” which is returning to its base at Wellington, is reported to have on hoard a cargo' of no less than 116,000 barrels of oil, of an estimated value of £570,000. This is the world’s record catch.

A few New - Zealanders accompanied the expedition, and on deck duty they experienced the hardships of wording in exposed situations in temperatures vorv much below zero. .

fluctuations at me current;as experienced locally do not' effect to any groat extent the All. Electric Majestci Radio'.set. A ballast tube overcomes this annoying condition and also protects the set against excessive volt-

age and the resultant burning out of .transformers. Ring ’plume 11H and arrange tor a demonstration. L. S. Ross, Majestic agent c oi Westland.— 10.