NEW WHALING GUN.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 194, 14 March 1868, Page 2

NEW WHALING GUN.

Captatn Eben Pierce, of the whaling barque James Allen, has invented a new gun for killing whales, which is said to be the most effective weapon ever used for that purpose. It is described in the Commercial Advertiser as follows : We have recently examined a new whaling gun invented by Capt. Pierce, of the James Allen, a few of which have been and are now being tried by various masters in the whaling fleet. Tae instrument is the simplest and most effective weapon that can possibly be conceived of. It consists of a short brass gun-barrel, eighteen inches long and one and a-half inches in diameter, which is made to fit on a pole like a harpoon. The gun is fitted with two percussion caps, and a spring; the bomb-lance sets in the gun, and attached to the gun is a harpoon which lies in a socket outside the barrel, and is connected with the boat by a line. A rod projects beyond the muzzle, which is connected with the spring trigger. The whaleman, standing in the boat, throws this light weapon just as he would a harpoon. As the rod strikes the whale, it springs back and fires the gun. The bomb-lance and harpoon enter the whale at the same time, the former exploding and killing the animal almost immediately. It has been used with much success the past season. A whaleman using this instrument, after throwing it at the whale, has merely to back his oars and await the death of the animal, which is already fast by the line to the boat. For killing sperm whales and " Californian Grays," which are so wild and desperate after being wounded, it must be a valuable invention. It promises to become the most popular and efficient weapon in use, and will certainly reduce the dangers and increase the success of whaling.