160 WHALE-FISHERY. 



4i per cent. In a period of 60 years, 3161 ships 

 sailed to Davis' Straits, whereof 62 were \vrecked ; 

 or, in a fleet of 100 ships on an average, 2 were 

 lost each voyage; consequently the real risk with re- 

 spect to premium of insurance, must have been 

 21 per cent. In the present day, however, the ave- 

 rage loss amone; the British Greenland and Da- 

 vis' Straits fleets is not one-half so much. 



The great balance of profits received by the 

 Dutch whale-fishers during 107 years, amounting 

 to between fifty and sixty millions of florins, was 

 all derived from the trade, during what I have 

 called the third era of their fishery. But the re- 

 sult of the fourth era will be found to be very dif- 

 ferent. 



Between 1785 and 1794, inclusive, the average 

 number of vessels fitted out from Holland for Green- 

 land and Davis' Straits, Avas 60 sail. Their success 

 in ten years, was 2,295 whales and 55,722 casks of 

 blubber ; or 229^ fish, and 5,572 casks of blubber, 

 equal to 7,243^ quardeelen of oil ^;£^r year. This 

 oil, estimated at 35 florins jjer quardeel, produces 



the sum of, 253,522/ 



Reckoning for every hundred quardee- 

 len of oil 3,000 lb. of fins, gives, for 

 the above quantity of oil, 217,000 



Carried forward, 253,522/' 



