Whale Products m Conumerce. 103 
During the years immediately preceding the Revolution 
the whale fishery was prosperous and profitable in every 
phase of its activity. The annual production from 
1771-1775 was probably not less than 45,000 barrels of 
sperm oil, 8,500 barrels of whale oil and 75,000 pounds of 
bone. The average price in the market during this 
time was about £40 sterling per ton for sperm oil and 
450 per ton for head matter. Whale oil brought about 
$70 per ton and bone, exported chiefly to Great Britain, 
sold for about fifty cents per pound.” Much of the 
exports went to England to find their way into British 
and other European markets where the increasing con- 
sumption of oil in lamps as well as in different manufac- 
tures created a large demand for whale products.* 
The English demand especially was larger than the supply 
of the home fishery, and the English government was 
paying heavy bounties to build up the business.“ 
The outbreak of hostilities in 1775, however, put a stop 
to whaling operations and consequently trade in oil and 
bone practically ceased, except with the West Indies. 
West Indian products of all kinds commanded excessively 
high prices. The whaling vessels of that time, schooners 
and small square rigged vessels, were well suited for the 
trade, and in addition, many of the owners had stocks of 
oil and candles which were in demand in the islands. 
The business, however, was dangerous, and to divide the 
risk it was usually carried on jointly by several persons. 
But later in the war the presence of British cruisers and 
privateers along the coast greatly restricted even this 
small remnant of the former prosperous trade. 
After the war was over the fishery was greatly stimu- 
lated in its revival by the excessive prices commanded 
1 Starbuck, p. 57. 
2 Macy, p. 81. 
18 Hutchison, III, p. 400. 
14 Scoresby, p. 75. 
% Macy, p. or. 
