THE W I TALK FISHERY. 161 



The continued depression in whaling interests has at length been checked by UK- retirement of a large number of 



\ essels, now lying at, our wharves, assist ed Ivy I hi' general revival of business throughout the country, and it is possi- 

 1'lc that \\ ith a. nioilorato number of vessels engaged whaling may again become fairly profitable. 



The business, however, is siilijeel. to many serious drawbacks, some of whieh, if mil, corrected, liid fair In impair 

 its success. C'hief among these are the inlliieiiees al those ports where officers ;l nd crews arc constantly leaving ves- 

 sels, causing a largo expense in replacing them, and the, frequency with which officers arc so nl, out to join ships during 

 their voyages indicates thai tin 1 , control of a whaleship is only to a limited extent in the hands of its owners. Bj 

 united action among our merchants it is possible 10 check these disorders, and protect themselves against the' losses 

 occasioned by wholesale desertion from whaling vessels, which is too often fostered by those who are in duty bound 

 to act otherwise. San Francisco being a port of discharge, tho above would not, apply to the Arctic whalers visiting 

 I hat port. 



The present whaling licet consists of one hundred and seventy-eight, vessels, against one hundred and eighty-six a, 

 year ago, one hundred and eighty-seven in 1878, and one hundred and seventy-two in 1877, showing a, considerable 

 net increase during the past few years. 



Sperm whaling has not been attended with great success, the whales being scarce on nearly every ground, owing 

 to the size of the fleet. No very largo catches have been obtained, the best fares, perhaps, having been taken in the 

 South Atlantic, oft' the coast of Africa. 



Eight \\haling has yielded better results, the Arctic Heel averaging 951 barn-Is of oil and 1 1,000 pounds of whale- 

 bone, the best exhibit for many years. One vessel was lost, and two others are supposed to be frozen in the ice. 

 Even should these' vessels be lost no apprehensions are felt for the safety of those on board, as they are commanded 

 by experienced Arctic navigators, who are equal to almost any emergency, and the near presence of the exploring 

 steamer .leannette is an additional safeguard. In the South Atlantic the fleet met with fair success, as did also some 

 of the vessels in Hudson Bay and that, vicinity. Humpbackiiig has been followed with average success, and is at 

 present, in better favor on account of the high price of the oil. The price of whalebone has stimulated both northern 

 ami southern right whaling, of which many vessels have availed themselves to their advantage during the continued 

 scarcity of sperm whale.s. 



The export of sperm oil has fallen off (be past year, principally owing- to the largo purchases the previous year, 

 1-T'J opening in England with a stock of 20,000 barrels and about 7,000 barrels then being in transit. Of the 35,000 

 barrels estimated to arrive the coming year, it, is probable the greater portion will be needed for home consumption. 

 Dining the fall, when the price remained at 71 cents per gallon, our manufacturers purchased freely, it being very 

 evident that it must advance in sympathy with other merchandise, and they were rewarded for their enterprise by 

 largely increased siles to consumers at, better rales. 



Sperm oil opened the year at ( ,)0 cents per gallon, advanced to 94 cents in February, and from that time gradually 

 declined to 70 cents in September, remaining at those figures during that month and through October, advancing in 

 November to si and closed the year with oilers at an advance on the latter figure, holders, however, asking from $1.05 

 to si. 10. Present prospects point to a gradual advance during the year, and as it has been proved that the oil cannot 

 be produced at a l"ss cost than SI. _';"> per gallon, owing to the heavy advance in the cost of oullits, owners of vessels 

 arriving will not incline to send them to sea again unless they are confident a paying price can be obtained. 



The present stock, consisting of about Hi, 000 barrels, a portion of which is of inferior quality and unsuitable for 

 export, is probably sufficient to supply the demand until the new oil commences arriving in May, being at a period 

 rather later than usual. 



Arctic whale oil opened the year at 38 to 40 cents per gallon, at which figures it remained until October, when a 

 gradual advance in oils having taken place, quotations gradually rose to f>5 (iO cents at the close of the year, there 

 being uo stock on hand except some lots that have remained on our wharves many years. 



South Sea and humpback oil opened in January at, !!5 cents per gallon, declined to 32 cents in June, gradually 

 rose to 40 cents in October, to 50 cents in November, and 59 cents iu December, closing the year at the latter figure, 

 a. most gratifying fact after the dcpressii f the last two years. 



Arctic whalebone from |3.25 per pound in January, declined to ,s,', in ilareh, f-J.f>0 in June, |2 in .September, and 

 to 1.90 in November, advancing iu December to s-J.'25, at which price 1 purchases could not be effected at tho close of 

 the year. South Sea whalebone from about $2.50 per pound in January , declined to si .70 in June, $1.50 in September, 

 and then advanced, closing the year with sales at 1.110 per pound. 



Referring to our estimate of imports for the past year, our calculations wen- correct as regards sperm and whale 

 oil. The importation of whale-bone slightly exceeds our limit, it being difficult to foresee the success of the Arctic 

 fleet. 



TRADE REVIMW FOU 1880. 



Hi-rii'ir of lh<- whale Jixlifri/ j'"r l^~o. The year I860 will be long remembered as a remarkable period in tho business 

 enterprises of i he country, ami although the wave of prosperity that has swept over the United States has not 

 placed whaling interests in a profitable position, we cherish the hope they may yet be benefited. 



The business has been, to a certain extent, changed during the past two or three years by the constant retirement 

 of vessels, of which twenty-eight now lie at our wharves and a few others have been sold. Of the number to arrive 

 the present, year many will be rclircd, and the fleet bids fair to be much reduced. Right whaling is now the order 

 of the day, as its prospects appear better than catching of sperm oil a! present prices, and if the sperm whales are 

 neglected for a time, u h, knows but that we shall find them after a while as abundant as a few years since. 



SEC. v, VOL. ii 11 



