lf)0 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The decline in the number of the fleet foreshadowed a, year ago has been realized, and we have not only a smaller 

 number now engaged, but of that small number fully one-fourth are at home ports. 



The Atlantic fishery has furnished less sperm oil than in former years, chiefly owing to the small number prose- 

 cuting the business there, though, as in former years, some good fares were taken, six vessels in the North Atlantic 

 having averaged 350 barrels. The fleet to -cruise there the present year will be much reduced from that of last year, 

 and will probably not exceed one hundred vessels. 



The whole number of American vessels engaged in the fishery January 1, 1871, is 216 ships and barks, 18 brigs, 54 

 schooners, with 69,372 tons, against 218 ships and barks, 22 brigs, 81 shooners, with 73,137 tons same time in 1870, 

 showing the large decrease for the past year of 33 vessels, with 3,765 tons, which proceeds from the withdrawal of 

 vessels from Newbnryport, Wellfleet, Groton, and largely from Provincetown, the entire fleet at the latter port being 

 27 vessels against 49 a year ago, and of that number it is thought 7 will not be fitted. 



We fear that a continuation of the present low prices for our staples will deter our merchants from fitting many 

 of the whalers in port and to arrive, by which the vessels disengaged throughout the year will be larger than for 

 many years past. 



On the various sperm-whaling grounds the cases of marked success in 1870 were few. Whales were very scarce 

 upon the grounds around New Zealand, which have been more largely visited the past year because of the previous 

 marked success there. Many of the sperm" whalers visited the several right-whaling and humpback grounds, and met 

 with good success, more particularly in humpbacking. The Tristan and Crozettes grounds were poor, with heavy 

 weather, the best cut being 780 barrels on Crozettes, while the average was not probably over 250 barrels. 



The North Pacific fleet of 1870 consisted of forty-eight American and ten foreign vessels, of which two American, 

 the Hibernia and Almira, and one foreign, the Japan, of Sidney, New South Whales, were totally lost, the latter sup- 

 posed, with all her officers and crew, in the Arctic. As in the two years previous, the whaling was done in August and 

 September, and the average catch was larger than for many years. Whales were small but very numerous, and it is 

 said were never more abundant. The catch of walrus oil was very large, being nearly 10,000 barrels. 



But one whaler visited the Ochotsk Sea, the Monticello, and took 200 barrels, and Bristol Bay, the George, and 

 took 400 barrels. 



Coast whaling seems to have been abandoned. Ten whalers visited San Francisco, the balance of the fleet going to 

 Honolulu. A new feature in the transshipment of bone is that of sending it "across the continent" by rail, direct to 

 New Bedford, at the small cost of 2 cents per pound, currency. 



At Honolulu three foreign right whalers have been withdrawn, the business n ot proving remunerative, but in 

 San Francisco there is a corresponding increase, and a disposition manifested to extend further in this branch of 

 whaling. 



The Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet fishery was fair, the Milwood doing the best, having come out with 

 1,000 barrels. The schooner Quickstep, of New London, is supposed to have been lost in coming out, with all on 

 board. 



The fleet is now distributed about as follows : North and South Atlantic, 51 vessels ; Indian Ocean, 41 vessels ; 

 Pacific Ocean, 65 vessels, principally sperm whaling ; Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet, 5 vessels ; the remaining 

 51 vessels comprise the North Pacific fleet, 8 of which are outward and 20 homeward bound. The North Pacific fleet 

 for 1871 will comprise about 40 ships of all nationalities. The total number of vessels now at sea is 213. 



The export of sperm oil to foreign countries in 1870 was 22,773 barrels, mostly to London, against 18,645 barrels 

 in 1869, showing an increase of 4,328 barrels; but the stock on hand at London, 1st instant, was 200 tons in excess of 

 the previous year. The foreign consumption of this article has not increased under low prices, as was anticipated, 

 which it would seem was owing to the European war, causing a large falling off in the demand for manufactured 

 goods, but which we think an early peace will restore. The home demand has materially increased, and we think will 

 be maintained under present prices. 



The year opened with sperm oil at |1.50 $1.55, and advanced in February to $1.60, when, becoming in large 

 supply, it steadily declined throughout the year to $1.20, closing at $1.23 $1.25. 



Whale oil opened at 70 72J cents, and advanced to 80 cents in February, and in July the price had declined to 

 67 <o> 68 cents, when it again advanced to 70 cents in August, after which it gradually declined to 65 cents, which was 

 the nominal price at the close. 



Whalebone was in good demand early in the year at 85 cents per pound, gold, for Arctic, when iu May and June 

 large sales were made at 80 cents, gold, and since July, when war was declared in Europe, the price has gradually 

 declined to 65 cents per pound, gold, the decline in price and demand being consequent upon the two largo and only 

 consumers, France and Germany, being at war. The export to July 18, when the war broke out, was 285,000 

 pounds, being nearly equal to the entire previous year, and but 1'or this interruption we should have probably had a 

 large increased foreign demand, and soon after the declaration of peace we shall expect to see the foreign dealers in 

 oils and bone turning their attention to our staples at the attractively low prices ruling here. 



The imports in 1870 were 55,183 barrels sperm, 72,691 barrels whale oil, and 708,365 pounds bone, against 47,936 

 barrels sperm, 85,011 barrels whale oil, and 603,603 pounds bone in 1869, showing a large increase in sperm oil and 

 whalebone, but a large decrease in whale oil. Of the imports of whale oil, 4,013 barrels, and of whalebone, 66,000 

 pounds, were the catch of San Francisco vessels. 



The export in 1870 was 22,773 barrels sperm, 9,872 barrels whale oil, and 347,91fl pounds bone, against 18,645 

 barrels sperm, 3,842 barrels whale oil, and 311,605 pounds bone in 1869, showing an increase in each iirticle. 



