86 A History of the American Whale Fishery. 
In the whaleboats themselves the two centuries of Ameri- 
can deep-sea whaling have witnessed little change. They 
are still the same round-bottomed type, pointed at both 
ends, to facilitate movement either forward or backward, 
and propelled both by oars and sails. About the only 
change has been in size, increasing from a length of 
twenty feet, about 1720, to an average of about twenty- 
eight feet at present, though whaleboats as long as 
thirty-eight feet have been used at times.% They are 
usually made of white oak, cedar, spruce or hard pine, 
weigh about 500-600 pounds and cost upwards of $100 
each. They are the most seaworthy small craft known, 
yet their usage is so severe that they usually last but a 
single voyage. 
Launches propelled by steam were first introduced into 
the Norwegian whale fishery, with guns mounted on deck 
to throw the projectiles. And about 1880 American 
whalers tried the experiment of using whaling rockets 
from steam launches. The noise made by power boats, 
however, is a disadvantage, and launches, wherever 
employed, have been used mainly to tow whaling boats 
near the whales, to aid in approach during calms when 
sails are useless and to tow dead whales to the vessel. 
So far as is known no launches are at present employed by 
the whaling fleet.” 
The whaling vessel has undergone a marked evolution 
since the beginning of deep-sea whaling about 1715. The 
earliest vessels fitted for whaling ‘out in the deep”’ were 
sloops of thirty to forty tons burden.” The size was 
gradually increased to fifty, sixty and seventy tons, 
as the industry grew and voyages were made longer; and, 
probably, by 1730, schooners had been added. The next 
74 Goode, p. 240. 
75 Goode, p. 246. 
Letter of Mr. George R Phillips, editor of the ‘‘Whalemen’s 
Shipping List.” 
™ Macy, Pp. 49. 
