410 WHALE-FISHERY. 



the highest ever obtained, for 551. or 60 1. per 

 ton *. 



The application of the gas produced by the dis- 

 tilhition of coal for lighting tlie public streets and 

 buildings, manufactories, shops, &c. which formerly 

 were lighted with oil, it was apprehended would be 

 ruinous to the whale-fishery trade, and certainly had 

 a very threatening appearance ; but hitherto, owing, 

 perhaps, to the amount of whale-oil lately imported, 

 having been less than the ordinary quantity, this ex- 

 pected effect of the employment of gas lights has not 

 been felt. 



When blubber is boiled in Greenland, the oil 

 produced from it is much brighter, paler, more lim- 

 pid, and more inflammable, than that extracted in 

 13ritain. It is also totally free from any unpleasant 

 flavour, and burns without smell. Hence it is evi- 

 dent, that whatever is disagreeable in the effluvia 

 of wliale-oil, arises from an admixture of putrescent 

 substances. These consist of blood and animal 

 fibre. This latter is the reticulated and cellular 

 fibre of the blubber, wherein the oil is confined, 

 which produces the fenks when boiled. When pu- 



* The average price of whale oil during the last nineteen 

 years, was about 34^. 15^. viz. 



In I In I In I. In /. In /. 



1800, Sr> 1804, 31 1808, 27 1812, So I8I6, 28 



1801, 46 1805, 30 ISOy, 36 1813, 50 1817, 46 



1802, 31 1806, 29 1810, 38 1814, 32 1818, 3S 

 1S03, 3? 1807, 21 1811, PA 1815, 3S 



