499 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The ship-chandlery business for whalers virtually began at Hono. 
lulu in 1843. From this time on a number of firms made it their reg- 
ular business. The following summary of an article appearing in the 
Polynesian, Honolulu, April 20, 1861, gives a very good idea of the 
extent to which Honolulu was benefited by the visit of whalers: 
For the twelve years from 1849 to 1860, both inclusive, it is stated that 4,929 callings 
at ports on the islands were made by whalers. Domestic supplies to the extent of 
$1,382,413 were furnished to them. It is estimated that these 4,929 ships, averaging 
30 men each (147,870), expended $30 each at the islands, which would amount to 
$4,436,100. It is also estimated that the repairs to the fleet amounted to $180,000. 
The following table shows for certain years between 1846 and 1875, 
both inclusive, the value of supplies furnished to foreign whalers at 
Honolulu, together with the number of vessels so supplied for certain 
years: 







, , a | Number r. Number 
Years. \ ane o of vessels Years. i ae of | of vessels 
) SUPPHES: | supplied. |" UppHeS. | supplied. 
GAGS {000M a seeaeeeee Hr GB St sie fae whet Me Sheet lady | $13, 200 44 
78, 200 TSITE|| MAS GAN set hc ate ae A nee re 65, 000 93 
27, 000 7108,i]||MUISC5y ee cee eee ae OAT) |orcceasece 
26, 500 106 A||pLS6O meee tearm se cee atk eee 693000) Paes 23 
18, 400 B2ig| (MESS TEMm es ree eee 2 aetna ne PROKOP ees olen 
49,720 | DOGUNTASE Sine camer oer = en ree 569800) | Reeeeeeeee 
67, 650 | 246 56a ee: PETE VO OR el ie | 4652008 aeeee ae 
51, 975 | 189 AO Gert at BAR EL Sete S55 ee |e339600) | Seeenemeee 
106, 750 | TON Wey Phe sige OSE oan ee a 10, 500 
109, 850 | LESUIIAIG 7S MM sh ee Re aca a eee 16, 600 
85, 000 T7OM PLS TAR es Seek een a AS See | 12,500 |. 
38, 500 | Titel | WSs ee eee een eee same | 7,200 
21,000 | 42 | 



* Only shows value of supplies furnished to vessels in the inner harbor. There is no record of the 
supplies sold to vessels in the outer harbor. 
+ No separate record was kept by the custom-house after 1875. 
The profits in this business were enormous for a time, and it has 
been well said that ‘‘ Honolulu was built upon the whale business.” 
No specific records were kept of these matters at Lahaina, but it is 
known that during 1849 the supplies furnished to whalers amounted to 
$38,500, while in 1850 they amounted to $24,640. 
The first recorded transshipment of whaling products was in 1846, 
when some whalebone was so handled. The business practically 
began, however, in 1851, and was of immense benefit to Honolulu, as 
this harbor was the principal scene of operations. As wharves were 
practically nonexistent at this time, the hulks of old whalers and mer- 
chantmen were used as storage places for the oil and bone until vessels 
were ready to load for home ports. The whalers would usually store 
their catch here on their return from a cruise, fhen refit and start on 
another cruise. Regular clipper ships would call at the islands, bring- 
ing out supplies, and return with a cargo of bone and oil. On Novem- 
ber 10, 1857, the clipper ship John Land sailed from Honolulu with a 
cargo of oil and bone for New Bedford valued at $635,556. 
