WHALING. [From the Wellington Spectator.]

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 9, 2 August 1845, Page 4

WHALING. [From the Wellington Spectator.]

We were very much interested in perusing, in a recent number of the Sydney flloniin;/ Herald, the Report of the Committee of the House oi Congress on the American whale-lisheries. Fiom Ins document we learn that theie are 650 Amei ican vessels, tonnagmg 193,000 tons, and manned by 10,000 ollicers and men, engaged in these /isheiies, and of this number 360 are employed )ii the spermaceti, and the remaining 290 yes sels in the common whale fisheiies. The bare announcement of this fact would be snflicient to convey an idea of the value and impoitanceof the tiade; but the elaborate statements in this report, of the cost of the outfit and equipment of these vessels on each voyage, tend more clearly to show how valuable and itnpoitant such a tiade is to a new country. The whole value of the ships and outfit as they sail, is estimated at 20,120,000 dollais. The pioceeds or imports from the fishery in 1811, of sperm oil, tight whalebone, and whalebones were at the estimated value of 7,35.9,022 dol. The total value of the stores leqmred for these vessels on each voyage amount to 10,610,000 dol., and of this large sum only one-fouith is expended on articles not the produce of the United States. To shew the particular inteiests affected by the fisheries, we enumeidte a few of the items :—Salt beef and pork, flour, corn and beans, 1,9i1,675 dol ..potatoes, cheese, butter, and dried apples, 116,480 dol., whiilehoats and oars, 221,000 dol., cordage and whalelines, tow, &c, 745,000 do!., heavy sail cloth, 471,000 dol., light sail-cloth, 133,200 dol., 1,300,000 barrels of ironhooped casks, 1,820,000 dol. The first suggestion that naturally suggests itself is, that tins wealth of the waters, in the pursuit ol which the Americans have hitherto of all other nations, been the most successful, lies at our own door. Why should not we invrease our efforts to obtain as large a share as possible of this wealth f It is true that the ■whale-fishery is successfully prosecuted on this roast by means of shore parties ; but we think jt capable of mncTi giealer extension ; and that the plan of whaling, by means of fast-sailieg vessels,, of from 120 to 2TO tons, built expressly lor the trade, would be found at once to be the most economical and the most remunerating. Jn compiling our facilities for the tiade with tiiose of other nations, it is obvious that linglisb, trench, or Auiencan whalers, must perform a tedious voyage of more than four months before they icich the whaling grounds, and after the vessel is, lull, the same time must be consumed on I heir letu n to their respective ports. A whaler of 300 tons is usually manned with thitty men, or double the usual crew of a merchant vessel of the same tonnage. A whaling voyage is supposed to last three years. For nine months »hen, or during one-fourth of the time these vessels aie out of port, here is an expense incuired in provisions, stores, waives, wear and tear of vessels, insuiauces. &c, in which there Mould be a clear gain to us inearthing on the whale-fisheries, in vessels fitted out from New Zealand ports. That this plan has not already been adopted here, may be chiefly accounted for from tiie harassing nature of the different questions connected with the occupation of the land and our relations with the natives, the unsettled state of which, grievously obstructs the settlers' prog)ess, and impedes the advancement of the colony. These and other causes combined, have pioduced an emhairassment felt In all flass.es, and fatal to the successful prosecution of any new branch of rommeicml enterprise. To these may be added the fact, that the advantages of such a plan have never yet been distinctly explained, oi urged upon the attention of the settleis, with that weight w liich the importance of the subject demands. Let us enumera:e a few of them :—lt often oc "urs that when a whale runs oil" to sea, to a greater distance than is considered prudent to follow in boats from a shore part), the pursuit is abandoned, and the lish is lost j or even when the fish is killed seme twenty miles from shore, and must be towed by the boats to the station, from heavy-weather or other causes the fish is frequently lost ; but these accidents could not occur lo fast sailing vessels, fitted for the vi hale fishery. Another advantage attending this plan would be, that as soon as the vessel engaged in fishing was full, she would immediately return to port, unload, and again resume her station on the whaling grounds; theic would he b.it one loading and unloading of the oil at the shipping poit, thereby saving the expense of the coasting vessels employed foi this purpose, amounting to the same tonnage ihioughout the season at. the whaling vessel. If is calculated by those conversant with the subject, that a wtialer of the proposed tonnage ■with three boats,should catch as much oil during the season, as two of the best stations with four boats each. In confiimation of this statement at may bo mentioned that two parties, who had pieviously whaled with nine boats at their stations to the southward, for about eight or nine ■\aa\s, in 1812 commenced whaling with two small schooneis, each with two boats,and though these vessels are not adapted for whaling on the coast, the owners find it so much more to their advantage, that they now take'inore pil with four boats, than they fonneily did with nine, at their stations, which they have in consequence aban <Joned. It should aUo be borne in mind that the shore pai lies can only be catried on during six: months in the year; but when the season for fishing the right whale is over, these vessels ran be employed" in the sperm whale fisheries; b\ this means the best crews would be secured, fiom the cci tainty of employment, and superior chances of success. Another advantage to be found in this plan, is the fact that the best ground foi whaling i& along the east coast of the Southern Island, from btevi ait's island lo Cook Straits, m ithin 50 miles of the coast. An advantage peculiar to this plan is, that while the man of capital <'iid large resonires nirtv cmbatk singly to any extent, in the trade, it is competent ior peit-ons of smaller means to unite, and by their joint efforts to fit out one or more vessels. This practice obtains in Van Dieman's Land, where the u hale fishery is earned on in tl.e manner described, it also pievails in the United States, and in other countries. M'Culloch informs us that formerly the private bhipssent by the Dutch lo the whale fisheries,

were fitted out on ijrprinciple that secured the utmost economy and vigilance on the part of every one connected with them. The hull of the vessel was generally furnished by a person who commonly took upon himself the oifice of captain ; a sail-maker supplied the sails, a cooper the casks, &c. The cargo being bi ought over to Holland, and disposed of, each person shared in the produce according to his proportion of the outfit. The crew were hired on the same principle, so that every one had a motive to exert himself, to see that all unnecessary expences were avoided, and that those that were necessary were confined to the narrowest limits. — What should prevent the settlers of New Zealand from engaging heartily in this pursuit ? The country oli'eis all the necessaries for building and equipping vessels as abundantly and cheaply as any pait of the world. Seveial companies might be formed of persons who would agree together to equip one vessel, and entrust the management of the enterprise to some one of the number in whose prudence and capacity they could repose implicit confidence. This would excite a spirit of competition, which would cause increased prudence in the management, and more strenuous efforts to insure success, and the- lesull would be that the best manager would generally find the greatest amount of means placed at his disposal. It .is only necessary to refer to the items extracted from the Ametican repot t to show w hatapowerful stimulus this branch of industry would offer to agrieultuial pursuits ; but there are some other considerations which should not be lost sight of. The first, the puncipal pursuit in a newly settled country like New Zealand, is agriculture; manufa tu res can only follow after a long interval, when the country becomes thickly populated. In the estimates from which we have quoted, we find the value of iron hooped casks equal to onesivth, the cordage, whale-lines, canvass, &c. to one eighth the whole amount of the stores. The demand for casks, which has been very inadequately supplied from England, ha 6 already given active employment to the eoopeis in this nettlement. From what ha 6 been stated, we have seen that the c tension of the whale-fihheries, by means of small vessels expressly built and fitted out for the trade, will have the effect not only of greatly benefitting the agricultural interest, but also of developing the other resources of the colony. When we point to the example of America, we do not vainly presume to equal her success, many years of untiring energy, of unwearied devotion to this pursuit, has laised her to her present proud pre-eminence ; but emulous of her reputation, we may follow in hertiack. We must also remember that in prosecuting with ardour the whale-fisheries, we shall obtain other incidental advantages. For many of the practical suggestions we have ottered, we are indebted to Mr. Wathiesou, and we are happy to acknowledge Hie obligation, as it gives us the opportunity of stating that we have not indulged m mere speculation, but have attempted to advance views which he is prepared to carry out, and his character, and practical experience as a ship -builder will entitle his suggestions to be received with attention. In short, we do not know of any speculation which has so many advantages to recommend it, which is so calculated to advance the interests of the colony, or to which we more heaitily wish success.