[15] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



rocket-gun, and pre-eminently the most deadly missile that has ever been 

 constructed for the capture of the whale ; (3) the darting-bomb ; and (4) 

 the bomb-lance harpoon. 



The Bomb-Lance. — The first bomb-lance patented in the United States 

 for killing whales was invented by Oliver Allen, of Norwich, Connect- 

 icut, and is recorded in the United States Patent Office (No. 4764), 

 under date of September 19, 1846. This instrument, unlike those which 

 have been subsequently devised, was constructed without guiding- 

 wings, and with an unnecessarily long tubular shank or shaft, in which 

 was inclosed the fuse that penetrated the magazine near the anterior 

 end of the instrument. Mr. C. C. Brand, of Norwich, Connecticut, made 

 improvements in the Allen lance, and was, in his day, the most successful 

 and energetic agent in developing and introducing this new mode of 

 capturing the whale. At the death of Mr. Brand, his son, Mr. Junius 

 A. Brand, to whom the genius of the father was transmitted, perfected 

 the Brand lances, which are now used by all classes of whalemen. In 

 the mean time numerous devices were constructed and patented, many 

 of which live only in name. The evolution of this kind of lance has 

 resulted in the "Brand," the " Pierce," and the "Cunningham & Cogan" 

 lances, which, standing upon their special merits, are the standard lances 

 of the age, and are to be met with in all parts of the globe where the 

 whale fishery is prosecuted. 



Although the systems of manufacturing the present lances are for 

 the most part based upon patents recently issued, yet the inventions 

 date back, respectively, as follows: C. C. Brand, June 22, 1852 j Ebeu 

 Pierce, June 1, 1869; Cunningham & Cogan, December 28, 1875, and 

 Junius A. Brand, November 25, 1879. The term "new model," em- 

 ployed in the individual references to the Brand lances, is applied to 

 those constructed at present under the patents of Junius A. Brand to 

 distinguish them from the "old models" formerly made under the C. C. 

 Brand system. 



The magazines, or shells, of the Brand lances are cast iron, annealed, 

 cast with heads or points which have three cutting edges, and resemble 

 in appearance an "engraver's scraper." This lance is exploded by a 

 time-fuse ignited by the detonation of a lirimer, to which fire is com- 

 municated by a firing-pin; the latter being operated upon by the dis- 

 charge of the gun. The wings are of vulcanized rubber. 



The shell or chamber of the Pierce lance is composed of seamless 

 brass-tubing; the instrument has metal wings; the internal operative 

 mechanism for exploding the lance is placed in or near the anterior 

 end, and the explosion is caused by the concussion of the discharge 

 of the gun, which ignites a time-fuse by means of a percussion cap. 



The Cunningham & Cogan lance is composed of iron pii^ing, to 

 which is affixed (screwed) a malleable cast-iron point with three cutting- 

 edges. The instrument has rubber wings, and is exploded by a time- 



