244 COMMITTEE ON 



as the different parts of our own coast ; so that, from the most 

 careful computation, it has been found that not less than one hun 

 dred and seventy thousand tons of shipping, navigated by twelve 

 thousand men, are employed in this branch of business, and the 

 capital invested not much, if any, short of twelve millions of 

 dollars. This view of the astonishing increase in this branch of 

 our national industry, is fully sustained by records, and is ably 

 treated in an article of unusual merit in the North American 

 Review, for January, 1834. 



The memorialists further represent, that the increased extent of 

 the voyages now pursued by the trading and whaling ships into 

 seas but little explored, and to parts of the world before unknown, 

 has increased the cares, the dangers, and the losses of their mer- 

 chants and mariners. Within a few years their cruisers have 

 extended from the coasts of Peru and Chili to the Northwest coast, 

 New Zealand, and the isles of Japan. This increase of risk has 

 been attended by an increase of loss. Several vessels have been 

 wrecked on islands and reefs not laid down on the charts ; and, in 

 some instances, no soul survived to tell their fate. 



That something should be done, on the part of Government, 

 for the protection of this widely-extended and important interest, 

 seems to be the undivided opinion, as it is evidently the interest, 

 of a large portion of the country ; and the anxiety of the public 

 mind has been evinced by various memorials to this house from 

 legislative bodies, from the hardy and enterprising citizens of Nan- 

 tucket, and other places interested in the whale-trade. 



A recent expression of the legislature of Rhode Island is con- 

 tained in the following words : 



" State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in General 



Assembly ', October Session, A. D. 1834. 



"Resolved, That, in the opinion of this general assembly, the 

 subject of the memorial of J. N. Reynolds and others, dated 



: ''':.":. 



