BRITISH SOUTHERN WHALE FISHERY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 209, 31 July 1847, Page 4

BRITISH SOUTHERN WHALE FISHERY.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald, June 25. J (Continued from our last.) " The annual average number of ships employed in the Southern Fishery in each of the four decennial periods from 1800 to 1840, has been as follows : — Shipi. From 1800 to 1810 72 „ 1810 to 1820 64 „ 1820 to 1830 90 „ 1830 to 1840 94 " From the latter year to the present time, a gradual decline has taken place, as shown by the .subjoined return for the successive years (the average of this septennial period

not exceeding fifty-four ships per annum), viz. : — Year 1840 • 72 Shipi .. 1841 67 .• .. 1842 59 .. .. 1843 52 .. .. 1844 46 .. .. 1845 c : 43 .. .. 1846 36 ..

(to this date). " The decay of the Southern Fishery cannot, I think, be justly ascribed to any single cause in particular, thit to a combination of causes, so operating in concert, as to have altogether changed, within the last few years, the relative position or situation of the trade. The chief of these causes I conceive to be :—: — " 1. The reduction of the duties on foreign vegetable oils and oil seeds, whereby the importation of these articles has very largely increased. " 2. The withdrawal of the Government bounties on ships employed in the fishery. " 3. The non-repeal of the duties on the materials used in the constiuction and equipment of a ship, as well as those on its provisions, simultaneously with the withdrawal of bounties and with the reduction of duties on vegetable oils, &c. "4. The privilege granted to the colonies, of carrying on the fishery fiee from duties of' the nature of those which formed a charge directly, or indirectly, upon the British shipowner. " 5. The, competition of the Americans, the number of whose whaling ships has increased within the last few years, even more largely and rapidly than that of our own has j diminished; for between the years 1834 and 1835, the increase amounted to no less than 300 vessels, the progress having been from 430 to 730. " 6. The withdrawal of ships, and consequently of capital, by the retirement of parties unwilling or unable to coutinue in the trade ; and the want of inducement for others to succeed them." i Omitting a variety of details relative to bounties, duties, and prices, lengths and produce of voyages, wages of crews, decline in number of ships and men, as well as a very ! lengthened investigation into the operatian of ! the above mentioned causes of decay, we arrive at the consideration of the means of restoration and the future prospects of the fishery. I "I so far concur in the view of those you represent, that the trade cannot be restored by any effort of individual enterprise, as to believe that such is in effect the case as regards the future prosecution of the fishery from the ports of this country ; but I make a marked distinction in what concerns its prosecution from colonies in the Pacific. Few individuals, however, in this country, who have the disposition and the necessary capital for carrying on the fishery, would be found willing to establish themselves in the colonies for the purpose ; yet this must be regarded as the essential condition of success, since we may rest assured, that the object aimed at would be as little attained as now through the medium of mere agents ; added to which, the expense of their employment involves too great an outlay for individual means. Nothing, therefore, short of making the matter one of personal undertaking and supervision, would meet the requirements of the case. As this is not likely to be done, at all events to the extent needed, I am no less satisfied that those whose sentiments you express, that union should take henceforward, the place of individual endeavour ; or, in other words, that individuals should join their capital in a common enterprise. I have, indeed, long entertained the conviction, that this is the true, the only practical course of action. We have not only to ensure the future, but to recover lost ground; and I am well persuaded, that isolated efforts must fail, from the very nature of the case, to realise either object. By means of an association possessed of a sufficient capital and fleet of ships to compensate all the risks and contingencies of the trade, the success of which depends, as before observed, less upon single adventures than upon an extended average of transactions, — of a special station in the Pa- • cific, whence the vessels should be despatched, and whither they should periodically return for the purpose of depositing their cargoes, to be taken home in other vessels — and of a responsible local agency, such only as a public company of ample resources could afford to maintain, it seem to me, beyond a question, that all existing difficulties would be surmounted, all interests be reconciled, and, in a word, the wish of the parties you represent to see the trade re-established upon ' a new, enlarged, and solid basis, 5 be speedily and effectually accomplished. " The Pacific itself must, I consider, be regarded as the true centre whence future whaling undertakings, to be permanently successful, should radiate. The testimony of Mr. M'Gregor is also given in favour of this conclusion. He says, * New Zealand, New South Wales, and Australia, are all conveniently situated for the whale 'fishery ; and it appears to us, that if the whale fishery is to

be hereafter carried on with success and profit, it must be from establishments for the purpose in those colonies, and in the islands of the Pacific. One great impediment to the continuance of the Southern whale fishery is the heavy outlay of capital ; and private individuals will hesitate before they invest, probably, all they possess in one great risk. Whether a Company could safely enter upon a project which would employ a great number of ships, improve our naval architecture, and, under a judiciously regulated system, elevate the moral character of seamen, and extend the scientific acquirements, and the requisite qualification for commanders or shipmasters, is a question to be solved only by those who have the most practical knowledge of the subject. 1 He adds, 'We would rejoice at the continuance and the extensive increase of the British South Sea whale fishery as a bold maritime enterprise. Can this be carried into effect for the general benefit of the nation V I answer, unhesitatingly, that it can. We have lately failed in the Southern fishery, simply because we have continued to prosecute it from the shores of Britain, when, from the force of circumstances, it had ceased to be expedient to do so ; but we shall, assuredly, be able not only to regain our past advantage, but largely to exceed the most successful results that have been yet attained, even by the Americans themselves, if we henceforward conduct the fishery from a positson in its centre, as, from our command of suitable locations there, we have abundant means of doing. "As serving, in some measure, to show what might be anticipated from our adopting this course of proceeding, I subjoin a comparative statement of the results of ths fishery by American, British, and Australian ships, during the year 1845, viz. :—: —

"So that, in every respect, the advantage preponderates largely in favour of the colonial vessels ; the results clearly showing that the prosecution of the fishery from stations in the Pacific, in vessels of 250 tons, is infinitely more successful than prosecuting it either from England or America in vessels of a larger size. As accounting for the greater success of the Australian vessels, it may be sufficient to observe that they are immediately on the whaling ground from the time of leaving port, and that consequently the ardour of their crews is not damped by delay in reaching it, or by disappointment from failing to meet with whales v/hilst on the passage." (To be continued.)

SHIPS. Average duration of Voyage. Quantity of Oil obtained. Average produce per month, allowing 10 months for passages. • 4 Tuns. Funs. Barrels. Americanshipsin the Spermaceti Whale Fishery (average of 85 ships, of 320' tons, and carrying 30 hands) Ditto in the Common whalefishery (average of 101 ships, of 341 tons, and carrying 28 hands each) Do. do. (average of 25 ships, of 254 tons, and carrying 22 hands each) . . British ships in the Spermaceti Whale Fishery (aver.ofllbhips of 362 tons, and carrying 32 hands each) . . 3 8 1 11 3 7; 135 of sperm oil 39 42 of common oil 11 244 of common oil .... 1 77 15 of sperm oil 11 170 of common oil .. ..125 16 of sperm oil 12 1 11 2 144 of sperm oil 40 (The English ships in the sperm whale fishery, fish for sperm oil only.) 3 9 5

r essels in the Spermaceti Whale Fishery 'esseli in the Common Whale Fishery month. sperm oil 71 barrel*. f common oil.. ..142 .. "I sperm oil 19 " Thus, the produce ] per month was : —

"Australian ships of 250 tons burthen, and carrying twenty-two hands (estimated from the day of sailing, and no allowance being made for passages) : —

Sperm Oil. Common Oil. itnerican ships .... (326 tout) .. 39 barrels .. 11 barrel*. iritish ships (362 tons) . . 40 aistralian ships. , . . (250 tons) . . 71

SPERMACETI WHALE FISHERY.

Common Oil. Sperm Oil. .merican ships .... (341 tons) ..177 barrels ..11 barrels. >itto ditto (254 tons) .. 125 .. ..12 .. Australian ships.. .. (250 tons).. 142 .. ..19

COMMON WHALE FISHERY.