COMPARATIVE VIEW. BlllTAlN. 123 



Straits in five years, free of first cost, will appear to 

 have been near three millions Sterling, 



The greatest cargo ever brought into Great Bri- 

 tain in one vessel from the "whale-fishery, was pro- 

 cured near Spitzbcrgen, by Captain Souter in the 

 Resolution of Peterhead, in the year 1814. It con- 

 sisted of 44 whales, which produced 299 tons of oil, 

 value, reckoned at 32 1, per ton, the average price 

 that year, 9568/. ; if to this we add the value of the 

 whalebone and the bounty, the gross freight of this 

 ship will appear to have been near 11,000/. Other 

 ships, however, with less cargoes, have made still 

 greater freights, particularly in 1813, when oil sold 

 for near 60 1, per ton. In this year, the John of 

 Greenock, commanded by my father, made above 

 11,000/. freight ; and the cargo of the Esk of 

 Whitby, commanded by myself, sold for near the 

 same sum. The Augusta of Hull, Captain Beadland, 

 procured a still greater cargo ; and the Lady Jane of 

 Newcastle, Captain Holmes, which brought liome a 

 larger cargo from the fishery that season than any 

 other vessel, realized, I believe, the greatest profit 

 ever made by one vessel in any one season, since the 

 northern whale-fisheries were practised. 



Among the ports of Britain which have been dis- 

 tinguished for speculating in the whale-fisheries, 

 those of London and Hull seem to have been tlie 

 most early engaged in the trade. 



