THE WHALE FISHERY. ANNUAL RETROSPECT. From the (American) Whalemen's Shipping List, January 6.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 725, 14 July 1852, Page 4

THE WHALE FISHERY. ANNUAL RETROSPECT. From the (American) Whalemen's Shipping List, January 6.

We present to our numerous patrons this morning our annual review of the Whale Fishery for tbe past year, together with full and complete tables of Imports, Exports, Prices Current, Average Voyages, Stocks, ect., as compared with previous years. These tables are prepared with great care, and are, we confidently believe, to be relied on. Notwithstanding many disasters, a reference to these tables will show that 1851 has been a year of great prosperity to the trade. The number of arrivals has been very large, and the aggregate of oil imported greater than in any year since 1847, notwithstanding which' the prices for all varieties have been well sustained, and the market active, The amount of tonnage employed in the trade has been considerably increased during the last year, in spite of numerous losses in tbe Arctic Se.as. The number of vessels employed in the service at present is as follows — viz. : 588 ships and barques, 57 brigs, and 35 schooners ; being an increase over last year of 56 ships, 3 brigs, and 22 schooners in the trade. The intelligence from the Arctic fleet in 1851 bas been of a disastrous character; for in addition to a very considerable loss of shipping, the average catchings have been smaller than in any previous year. ' This will seriously affect tbe importations of whale "oil in 1852 ; and from

the best estimate .which we can now make the amount during the present year will hardly exceed 100,000 bbls., and may fall considerably below that figure. In addition to this, the accounts from the sperm-whale fishery are not encouragiug, and there is a probable prospect that importations, during the year to come, will not exceed 65,000 bbls. The genera] conclusion to which we come is, thBt the business has been pushed by the enterprise of our merchants, to nearly, if not quite, its utmost limits, unless new grounds are discovered, which does not at present seem probable. Still the prospect of a fair remuneration and return to those now engaged in it, is good, though the policy of extended investments would be very doubtful.

The following ships are reported as wrecked in tbe North Pacific duriog the year 1851, viz. : Armata, Henry Thompson, Arabella, America (2nd), New Bedford, Houqua,^ Globe, Acashnet, Mary Mitchell, Solomon SaUus, Ajax, and Cos* mopolite. The last two were French ships ; and the Solomon Saltus,'of Sydney, N.S.W. " The American ships mentioned above were al! vessels of the first class, fitted in the roost substantial manner, and probably sailed at an aggregate cost of 270,000 dollars. The losses are attributed to the incorrectness of the charts of the Northern Seas, unknown currents, ice, and an unusual prevalence of severe gales and foggy weather through the summer of ISSI. We are happy to learn .that our government, in consequence of the disasters, have in contemplation to send one or more national vessels into those seas, to explore and maik more correctly the position of the reefs and headlands upon which these vessels have been stranded, and to render aid to such as require it."

ports. If || | a f| °^ New Bedford. . 89 5 45,150 155,7112,349,900 Fairhaven .... 13 0. 9,450 15,385 97,100 Dartmouth. ... 1 48 14 Westport 7 2 , 4,040 1,769 14,400 Mattapoisett .. 3 2 1,747 2,581 12,.000 Dist.ofN. Bed. 112 10 50,465 175,460 2,473,400 Edgartown 3 0 2,874 3,840 44,000 Nantucket 13 2 16,601 3,385 35,000 Falmouth .... 1 0 2,719 24,300 Provincetown. . 1 24 2,911 229 Boston 6 6 6,842 280 9.300 Beverly 0 1 250 Lynn 1 0 135 2,740 28,700 Warren 1 0 168 2,789 29,100 Newport 2 0 1,262 1,7G5 12,200 Stonin<Hon.... 8 0 1,310 15,859 125,000 Mystic 6 0 183 15,757 168,800 New London.. 26 2 2,914 67,508 609,000 Sagharbor . . . . 4 0 133 11,066 67,200 Greenport .... 7 0 839 13,487 115,100 Cold Spring ..4 0 £17 11,591 130,000 New York.... 2 3 2,042 42,400 Philadelphia ..0 1 60 Truro 0 1 175 8 Orleans 0 1 210 Total in 1851.. 197 51 99,501 328,483 3,916,500 Brls. Spm. Brls. "Wh. Lbs. Bone. Imports for 1850 92,892 200,608 2,869,200 1849 100,944 248,492 2,281,100 1848 107,976 280,656 2,003,000 1847 120,753 313,150 3,341,680 „ 1846 95,217 207,493 2,276,939 „ 1845 157,917 272,730 3,167,142 „ 1844 139,594 262,047 2,532,445 „ 1843 166,985 206,727 2,000,000 „ 1842 165,637 161,041 1,600,000 „ 1841 159,304 207,348 2,060,000 Average for 11 yuars. . 128,793 244,434 2,544,364 Average for 11 yuars.. 128,793

IMPORTATIONS Of Sperm and Whale Oil and Whalebone into the United Slates, in 1851 :—: —

Vessels employed in the Whale Fishery, January 1, 1852. Ships and Brigs. Sclis. Tonnage. Barques. New Bedford 278 3 1 94,642 Fairhaven 49 1 16,490 Westport 14 5 3,725 Dartmouth ,21 626 Mattapoisett 11 2 . 2,/88 Wareham 1 - 374 Dist-ofN. Bedford 355 11 2 118,645 Falmouth 3 1.106 Homes Hole 4 1,510 Edgartown 8 1 2,877 Nantucket '52 1 3 18,472 Provincetown 2 6 22 3,358 Truro 1 143 Orleans 11 251 Boston 2 1 618 Lynn 2 . 720 Beverly 1 2 568 Salem 1 230 Sandwich 1 1 - 292 Warren 17 5,640 Providence 2 * 865 Fall River - 2 . 555 Newport 5 ' . 1,883 Stonington 18 - " 5,743 Mystic 9 1 3,009 New London 43 5 16,273 Sagharbor 17 1 5,856 Greenport ,8 2 2,749 Cold Spring 6 - 2,499 New Suffolk 1 227 Total, Jan. 1,1852, 558 27 35 193,990 Total, Jan. 1,1851,502 24 . 27 171,971 56 ' 3 ,8 22,019 Showing an addition of 56 ships and barques, 3 brigs, 8 schooners, and an increase in the aggregate tonnage of 22,019 tons.

RECAPITULATIVE TABLE. *

Ships and Barques. anuary 1, 1850, — 510 1849, 581 1848, 621 1847, GSO 1846, 678 1845, 643 1844, 595 Brigs. 20 21 22 31 35 35 41 Schrs. 13 12 16 21 22 17 9 Tonnage. 171,484 196,110 210,663 230,218 233,189 218,655 200,147

The number of Vessels and amount of Tonnage employed in the Whale Fishery since 1844, hare been as follows : —

Of the average Prices of Oil and Bone for eleven Years : — Sp. "Wh. Bone. Average for 1851— 12-7 l-4c. 45 5-16e. 34 l-2c. 1850 120 7-10 49^ 1-10 34 4-10 1849 108 9-10e. 39 9-10 c. 31 8-10 c. 1848 100 1-2 36 30 7-8 1847 87 7-8 33 3-4 34 1846 88 32 7-8 33 5-8 1845 90 1-2 35 1-2 40 1844 63 34 1-2 35 3-4 1843 73 33 3-4 23 1842 -94 31 3-4 19 2-3 1841 100 30 1-2 19

STATEMENT

X>iUTCJS. 1841— 20 ships averaged 1412 barrels— 28,20( 1842 29 .. 1627 .. 47,20( 1843 108 .. 1349 .. 146,80< 1844 179 .. 1528 .. 259,57( 1845 263 .. 953 250,60( 1846 292 .. 869 .. 253,50( 1847 177 .. 1059 .. 187.44 c 1848 159 .. 1164 .. 185,25* 1849 155 .- 1334 .. 2C6,85( 1850 144 .. 1692 .. 243,64* In TB5l the North Pacific fleet consisted o 146 ships, Bof which were wrecked. Of th< remainining 138 ships, 103 have arrived at thi Islands, with an average catch of 611 barrels thi season.

NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY. Table showing the number of Ships engaged in the North Pacific Fishery for the last ten years, and the average quantity of oil taken :—: —

Made by Sperm and Right Whalers from 1847. to 1851, inclusive, with the average lime absent, and quantity of Oil brought home :—: — ARRIVALS IN 1 847 Sp. Wh. Sp. Wh. 52 Sperm whalers 45?»12tf 1505 219 78287 11416 150 Right 31m Id 195 1978 29309 295711 1 Greenland, 7m Qd 940 940 54 Atlantic Sp. 15j» 9d 228 42 7770 1437 Sent home from outward bound, wrecked, &c 5387 2646 120753 313150 ARRIVALS IN 1848 32 Sperm whalers 41m19d 1292 192 67178 9984 122 Right 33tk 2d 222 2187 27081 266820 1 Greenland, 7m\9d 727 727 31 Atlantic Sp. 16m21d 303 18 9395 562 Sent home from outward bound, -wrecked, &c 4322 2565 107976 280656 ARRIVALS IN. 184 9 54 Sperm whalers 4 Im2ld 1284 168 69524 9066 102 Right ' 32m 9d 209 2271 21355 231631 1 Greenland . 7m Ud 728 728 28 Atlantic Sp. 6m I6d 216 25 6052 697 Sent home from outward bound, wrecked, &c 4013 6090 100944 248202 ARRIVALS IN 1850 45 Sperm whalers 41m 22cZ 1189 115 570.99 5539 83 Right 33m 20J 189 2217 15727 183992 1 Greenland 7ml'od 485 485 33 Atlantic Sp. 9mUd 235 14 8917 521 Sent home from outward bound, wrecked, &c ." 14194 10071 92892 200608 ARRIVALS IN 1851 J 63 Spermwhalers 44m ~4d 1170 333 61995 17668 46 Atlantic Sp. 10m24d 201 9 9259 331 83 2-season Rt. 35m16d 130 2619 10901 217337 33 1-season Rt. 20»» lOd 130 2431 3677 80239 1 Greenland Bm2od 258 258 Sent home from outward bound, wrecked, &c. ...... ... ..*,.. 13759 12556 99591 328483

AVERAGE VOYAGES