THE ARCTIC WHALE FISHERY.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 729, 9 April 1853, Page 3

THE ARCTIC WHALE FISHERY.

(Fiom the “ Times," November 0.) Gold-seeking and gold-finding have become of late years so completely interchangeable terms that the idea will sometimes creep in that for (lie means’ sake we may he losing sight of (he end. What is this glittering sovereign a'tcr all, the spur to so much industry, (lie object of such keen desire, the fruitful cause of so many crimes? It is the medium of commercial exchange, (he symbol of labour, (ho measure of value. Hut for absolute utility, a pile of bricks, a springhead of clear running water, an unsightly and noisome dungheap, is of more advantage to mankind. We entreat our readers to believe that we arc not about to read them a sermon upon the contempt of riches, nor to rush into (he arms of Mr. Muntz and (he apostles of a paper currency. It is not even our intention to warn off the numerous aspirants for the golden honours of the “ diggins.” It is probably (inadvisable, it is certainly impossible, to put a drag upon (he existing mania for nuggets. Our aim to-day is of a humbler kind. >Ye would simply hint that (here may be other sources from which wealth may be derived than the gold plains of Australia, and that it is not well in the hunt after sovereigns completely to lose sight of (he commodifies which those sovereigns may purchase. In (lie early part of this year we published an official document which had been addressed to the United Stales’ Senate by the Secretary of their Navy. The object of this letter was to call the attention of the Senate to (he almost fabulous results which had attended (he operations of the United States’ whale fishers who had ventured within Behring’s Straits. Were it not that wo arc addressing ourselves (o men of business upon a business matter, which concerns them nearly, and that we are dealing with results which have already been realized, and which may he realized again, we might well shrink from beckoning industry on to so inhospitable a region. But we may not shut our eyes to dry, ascertained facts, nor permit any mere sentimental feeling to prevent us from calling (he attention of the city of London and of our outports to (he following figures, which we lake as we find (hem in the letter of the Secretary to the Navy in the United States. They contain an abstract of the condition and results of the American whale fisheries which have been carried on within Behring’s Straits in the years named : 1819. Dollars. Dollars. Number of American seamen .... 1,650 Value of ships and outfits . 1,950,000 Value of oil taken . . 2,000,510 Value of hone .... 811,112 1850. 8,070,022 Number of American seamen .... 1,520 Value of ships and outfits 1,520,000 Value of oil taken . . . 5,701.201 Value of hone .... 1,200,050 Total ships in two years 299 Total seamen . . 8,970 Value of ships and cargoes 17,112,155 The history of whaling enterprise in these regions is curious, and may well stand comparison with that of (he Australian shepherd who brought (lie first nugget into Sydney. !( appears that the master of the United States’ w hale ship Superior, wearied with (lie ill-success which had so long attended the whale fisheries in other quarters, determined in (he summer of 1818 to penetrate into the Arctic Ocean by Behring's Straits, and there to try his luck. Fortune smiled upon (he hold adventurer. In a few weeks Captain Bays had tilled his ship with oil, and returned to port elated with his present success, and still more so with the hope of what the next year might produce. In consequence of (lie reports he brought back —borne out as these reports wore by the palpable evidence of bis success—(he shipowners of the United Stales determined next year (o despatch into Hie same region a fleet of 151 sail —each ship, on an average, manned by 50 men. In a few w'eeks this licet took 200,850 barrels of whale oil, and 2,IBJ,GOOIbs. of bone. The next year the operation was repeated, and the success was still more gratifying. This time the tied brought hack 215,680 barrels of whale oil, and 3,051.000 lbs. of bone. We can sympathise with the honest pride of Mr. Graham when he thus'sinns up the result of the two expeditious;—“ We see by the above statistics that in these two years more American seamen were engaged in (hat small district of ocean than are employed in our whole navy at one lime : that in two years these hardy mariners fished up from the bottom of the sea, and by their own energy created and added to the national wealth, the value of more (ban eight millions of dollars.” Now, we write in all submission to (he heller judgment of persons praclically acquainted with the course of such transactions; hut when w ; e come to consider the part which Englishmen may take in such ventures, it appears to us that (he mere question of a month's start— (hat is, ot two months’ wages, provisions, t c. —should not materially lessen the profits of those distant expeditions. Wo have probably overstated the diii’erenco, hut such a point as (his is best lett to

the judgment of commercial men. Enthusiasts in (because of Arctic navigation speak with much confidence of (lie possibility of-penetrating into (he Arctic seas by the route followed by Sir Edward Parry some quarter of a century ago. Even if this he found impossible—and wc confess we arc not over sanguine in Polar adventures — it is said that whales abound on the coasts of Nova Zembla and Spitzhergen, and that this region is not fished as it ought to he by British adventurers. The shores of Banin’s Bay are exhausted, and the present abject condition of (he English whale fishery is caused by the pertinacity with which the traders have adhered to their old fishing grounds. The question of selecting a proper scene of operations is, of course, the first one which must he entertained, hut there follows another of little less importance. Wc arc informed by the best authorities on subjects of this nature that the use of screw vessels in adventures of this kind would change the w hole face of the w hale fisheries. There is no other kind of mercantile enterprise in which it is so necessary to seize lime by the forelock. Even when ships are on the spot but a few weeks arc given them for action. The Genius of the Frost is hovering close on hand, even during the brief interval of summer, weary of the unusual warmth, and anxious to blight the short-lived splendour of the scene with his icy breath. If a plentiful cargo of oil and hones he required it must he seized by a covp de main. The boldest adventurers, when (hey feel no security as to their powers of retreat, dare not engage themselves far in these treacherous regions. The paths by which they had penetrated will he choked up—the current on which they had relied he buried fathoms beneath the ribbed ice —the open sea along which they had sped so merrily in their advance he blocked up with drift and revolving icebergs. The use of the screw, it is said may remove all these difficulties, and hear the whale fisher safely to those distant waters in which the monsters of the deep take their summer pastime—secure that at least the solitudes of (he Pole will scarcely he invaded by their untiring foe. One point alone remains unmcnlioncd which is of much concern to the safety of ail who may he encouraged to turn their thoughts to the Behring's Straits’ fisheries. The survey of this region is so imperfect, the charts so carelessly prepared, (hat great casualties have occurred among (lie vessels, however rich the general result. The Secretary of the United Stales’ Navy has recommended in the strongest terms (hat this defect should be at once removed by a careful survey.