THE WHALE FISHERY. 147 



The fleet cruising in the North Pacific consisted of 58 vessels, of which 7 were foreign, against 101 vessels in 

 1867; 2 vessels were lost, the Corinthian ami the Hao Hawaii, the former haying taken 1,050 barrels oil and 15,000 

 pounds bone, which were saved, and the latter, 1,200 barrels oil and 15,000 pounds bone, which were lost with the 

 \ essel. There were also 4 trading vessels that visited those waters and returned with 185 barrels oil and 22,500 

 pounds bone. 



The Arctic Ocean fleet comprised 37 American and 4 foreign vessels, and caught 35,005 barrels whale oil and 

 :">7ii,200 pounds bone, an average of 834 barrels oil and 14,030 pounds bone; whereas, in 1867, 77 vessels caught 50,115 

 barrels whale oil and 807,800 pounds bone, an average of 651 barrels oil and 10,492 pounds bone. 



The Ochotsk fleet comprised 7 American and 1 foreign vessel, and caught 4,960 barrels whale oil and 50,500 pounds 

 bone, iin average of 020 barrels oil and 0,312 pounds bone; whereas, in 1867, 14 vessels caught 9,320 barrels whale oil 

 and 117,500 pounds bone, an average of 660 barrels nil and 8,393 pounds bone. 



The Kodiav and Bristol Bay fleet comprised 17 American amt2 foreign vessels, and caught 7,635 barrels whale oil 

 and 68,800 pounds bone; whereas, in 1867, 10 vessels caught 5,465 barrels whale oil and 47,700 pounds bone, an 

 average of 546 barrels oil and 4,770 pounds bone. 



The entire fleet of 68 vessels caught 47,600 barrels whale oil and 694,500 pounds bone, an average of 700 barrels 

 oil and 10,213 pounds bone, showing a better average than in 1867, when 101 vessels caught an average of 642 barrels 

 oil and 9,633 pounds bone. 



The Cumberland Inlet fleet comprised 12 American vessels, of which 4 returned, bringing 2,250 barrels whale oil 

 and 36,000 pounds bone. The bark Andrews was totally lost, having no oil on board. The fleet for 1869 will number 

 about the same as in 1868 ; 7 vessels are wintering there, and had taken, up to the latest dates, but five whales. 



The year opened with sperm oil dull at |2, and continued about the same for six months, when it dropped to $1.75 

 1. 80, at which it stood for nearly three months, when it was put to $2, where it remained for a brief period, and 

 \vlien wanted for export in October declined to $1.78 l d> $1.75, at which 10,000 barrels were sold. 



Whale oil opened at 65 cents, and steadily improved to 82 cents 1st of August, wheu, under unfavorable news 

 from the northern fleet, rapidly advanced to $1.10, and, in consequence of the absence of further reports from the 

 Meet, was still further advanced, with sales at $1.15 <a> $1.25. After the news of the great success was received, in 

 October, it was very dull, and closed with sales of 400 barrels at about $1. 



Whalebone opened at 70 cents, gold, steadily declined until July, with sales at 60 cents, gold, when an improve- 

 ment was established and the market, under the unfavorable reports, rose rapidly to $1.40 $1.42$, at which but few 

 sales were made, and later, upon full reports from the fleet, the market became demoralized, and receded to 75 <a> 80 

 cents, gold, at which large sales were made at the close of the year. 



The imports in 1868 were 47,174 barrels sperm, 65,575 barrels whale oil, and 900,850 pounds bone, against 43,433 

 barrels sperm, 89,289 barrels whale oil and 1.001,397 pounds hone, in 1867, showing an increase of sperm oil, but a 

 considerable decrease of whale oil and bone. 



The exports for 18G8 were 18,916 barrels sperm, 9,885 barrels whale oil, and 707,882 pounds whalebone, against 

 25,147 barrels sperm, 18,253 barrels whale oil, and 717,796 pounds whalebone in 1867, showing a marked decrease 

 especially of sperm and whale oil, but it should be stated that about 4,500 barrels sperm oil purchased in December 

 for export have not been cleared at the New York cnstom-house. 



The home consumption of sperm oil in 1863 was 19,055 barrels; of whale oil, 72,390 barrels, and of whalebone, 

 24(5,968 pounds. In 1867 it was 22,936 barrels sperm ; 58,836 barrels whale oil, and 181,600 pounds whalebone, showing 

 a decrease of sperm oil, but a very satisfactory increase of whale oil and whalebone. 



The stock of oils and whalebone on hand January 1, 1869, was 13,000 barrels sperm, 16,700 barrels whale oil, and 

 and 200,000 pounds boue, against 8,000 pounds sperm, 33,400 barrels whale, and 274,000 pounds bone same time 

 1868. 



TliADIS KEVIEW FOR 1869. 



Review of the whale fishery for 1869. The year 1869 has not proved a satisfactory one to those engaged in the whale 

 fishery. It opened with good prices for oils and bone, which were well sustained through the summer, since which 

 time, owing to increased stocks, depression in business everywhere, caused by the New York gold panic in September, 

 and the favorable news from the Arctic Ocean, there has been a general decline to present quotations of $1.55 for 

 sperm, 70 cents for humpback, 85 cents for Arctic oil, and 85 cents, gold, for Arctic bone, equal -to about $1 currency, 

 the decline for the year being about 25 per cent. During the summer about 25,000 barrels refined seal oil were 

 imported from the provinces and brought here by our manufacturers, thereby displacing from consumption an equal 

 quantity of whale oil, which is now held by our importers, and which accounts for the excess of the present stock 

 over that of a year ago. The seal oil, which is of inferior consistency to whale, is said to have been largely mixed 

 with whale and lard oils, thereby prejudicing the reputation of pure whale and lard oils. The increased import of 

 whale oil in 1869 over 1868 was mainly owing to the sending homo from the Sandwich Islands of oil caught in the 

 previous years, only about 3,000 barrels having been carried north by the fleet in 1869, against 14,000 barrels in 1868. 

 The generally unprofitable results of voyages terminated during the year, coupled with the low prices now ruling, 

 are not favorable to the present fitting of the vessels in port which constitute over one-sixth of our small fleet. 



Of the one hundred and two whalers that have arrived during the year, only about one quarter may be said to 

 have made profitable returns; even those, at present prices, would barely have saved their owners from a loss. 



The new year opens with another reduction in the fleet, both in number of vessels and tonnage. The whole 

 number of American vessels engaged in the whale fishery January 1, 1870, is 218 ships and barks, 22 brigs, 81 schooners. 



