SOUTH SEA WHALE-FISHING.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 426, 11 December 1868, Page 3

SOUTH SEA WHALE-FISHING.

The Hobart Town Mercury mentions that already during the year close upon £50,000 worth of oil has been brought in, and that much remains to come. The success this year of the ships sailing from Tasmania is something more than a matter of chance. From many quarters accounts come, showing that the whales of these seas are again seeliing a wanner climate. They have been seen off the Australian coast, north of New South Wales. The Bay of Islands whalers this year have met with extraordinary success. A number of vessels filled in a very sbort time, and at vai'ious points of the New Zealand coast whales have been seen. The old maritime enterprise of the Colonies seems to be reviving under the influence of these prospects. As if to pay back to the whaling industry the loss which the gold discoveries occasioned, at Ballarat, the Queen of gold fields, a Joint Stock Company is being formed to prosecute whaling on a large scale. In Hobart Town a similar company is talked of. In Melbourne, Mr Charles Bright, of the enterprising firm of Bright Brothers, and Captain Cole, Lave fitted up the Salamander as an auxiliary steam whaler. The Salamander is the Kate Hooper which was burnt to the water's edge in Hobson's Bay. She has had some LIG,OOO spent on her in re-building, in engines, and in whaling fittings. She only waits now an experienced captain aud crew, lieferring to these facts the New Zealand Sun says : —lt is time to inquire if New Zealand intends to leave to Tasmania and Victoria all the prospects the revival of this industry holds out. Steam auxiliaries sailing out of New Zealand ports could make voyage after voyage—alternately sealing and whaling. The one, we believe, is scarcely less profitable than the other, aud in the islands to the south of New Zealand myriads of seals are to be found.