COMPARATIVE VIEW. 391 



ceeded annually to Greenland, afforded to the own- 

 ers, on an average, a profit of 3126 florins ; and 

 that in a period of 60 years, ending with 1778, a 

 fleet of 53 ships, which sailed annually to Davis' 

 Straits, realized to the owners a profit of 3469/* 

 per voyage : thus, exceeding the produce of the 

 Greenland fishery by 34>2 f. on each ship j^e?' voyage; 

 after ample allowance is made for the greater length 

 of the voyage to Davis' Straits, together with the 

 additional wear and tear. 



Among the British fishers, the advantage seems 

 also to have been on the side of Davis' Straits, particu- 

 larly of late years. In the four years ending with 

 1817, the Greenland fishery has produced on an 

 average 88 tons of oil, and 4> tons 9o cwt. of whale- 

 bone pe?' ship, each voyage ; but the Davis' Straits 

 fishery has, during the same period, averaged 102 

 tons of oil, and 4 tons I6f cxvt. of whalebone ^9^r 

 ship ; exceeding the average cargo of the Greenland 

 ships by 14 tons of oil and 7 J cwt. of whalebone, 

 value, according to the mean rate of oil and fins, 

 about 530 /. But from this, if we deduct tlie value 

 of skins taken by the Greenland fishers, but not 

 estimated in their cargoes, say 20 /. to 30 /. ;;^r ship, 

 and the additional expences of a Davis' Straits 

 voyage, occasioned by the greater wear and tear, and 

 the provisions and wages for a voyage longer by one 

 or two months than that to Greenland, we shall 

 reduce the balance in favour of the Davis' Straits 

 fishers to a very small sum. 



