158 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



As wo stated in our review last year, we do not believe Arctic whaling will be given up, and certainly the whales 

 have never been plentier on these grounds than during the past season. The fleet have all come out safely, except 

 the bark Desmond, which is supposed to have been obliged to winter there. 



A few vessels in Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet have had fair success, while right whaling in the southern 

 oceans has been neglected. Humpbacking has been very successful ou the coast of South America, while in other 

 in other localities the catches have been moderate. 



Sperm whaling has been only moderately successful, there having been but few largo catches the past year. 

 Vessels have done best ou Chili and the otf-shore ground, while elsewhere the average has been moderate. A sum- 

 mary is as follows: On Chili and off shore, seventeen vessels cruised, taking 7,010 barrels sperm, an average of 412 

 barrels ; on New Zealand, seventeen vessels took 6,095 barrels, making an average to each of "358 barrels ; in the Indian 

 Ocean and on New Holland there were thirteen vessels, taking 4,335 barrels, an average of 333 barrels, and in the 

 North and South Atlantic Oceans, eighty-seven vessels with a catch of 19,405 barrels, averaging 2:23 barrels, the last 

 named being for an average period of about ten months, as many of the fleet winter in port. With any increase of the 

 fleet a smaller average catch may be looked for, and it will be already seen by reference to our columns that the 

 ii umber of vessels at sea which have obtained 1,000 barrels or more of sperm oil is smaller than for many years. 



The distribution of the whaling fleet for the present year we estimate as follows: North and South Atlantic. 

 77 vessels; Indian Ocean and New Holland, 15 vessels; New Zealand, 13 vessels; Pacific coast and off-shore ground, 

 23 vessels ; North Pacific, 18 vessels ; Cumberland Inlet, 4 vessels. 



The number of vessels estimated to arrive at this port the coming year is twenty-five, of which apparently thirteen 

 will be good voyages, while twelve will show a loss, the net results being much the same as for the past few years. 



The demand for oils and bone has been fair throughout the year past. Sperm oil opened in January at $1.70, 

 with a very small stock on hand, and was held at $1.80 $1.85 in March, and at $1.90 in April. Few sales could be 

 effected at these figures, and the price gradually declined to $1.47 $1.50 in midsummer, remaining at about these 

 figures until December, when it advanced to $1.60, closing the year at that price, at which, however, there were more 

 sellers than buyers. Whale oil opened the year at 67$ cents per gallon for Arctic, advancing to 70 cents in January, 

 declining to 63 65 cents in May and June, and in September advancing again to 70 cents, at which price it con- 

 tinued to the close of the year. Humpback and South Sea oils have continued at 60 65 cents through the year, 

 with little variation. Whalebone opened at about $1.20 per pound for Arctic, and continued firm during the year, 

 advancing in the fall months, and finally closing at $1.30. 



By reference to our last year's review it will be seen that our estimate of importations are not far from the result, 

 except in whalebone, caused by shipments overland in advance of the usual time. Onr figures are made after careful 

 consideration, and we are not swayed by the interests of either importer or purchaser. 



TRADE RKVIEW FOB 1876. 



Review of the whale fishery for 1876. During the year but few disasters were reported among whalemen until late 

 in the fall, when news reached us of the destruction of a number of the Arctic fleet, and the probable loss of many 

 lives, which cast a cloud of sadness over the community. 



The success of the business the past year has been fair, the arrivals at this port showing nineteen profitable voy- 

 ages, while fourteen resulted in a loss, this being fully up to the average of late years. 



The building of ships for the whaling service marks a new era in the business, and is an encouraging feature. 

 We welcome them as adding to the character of the fleet, which has suffered of late by the adding of worn-out mer- 

 chant vessels which obtain insurance at the same rates as new ships just from the stocks. 



The present whaling fleet, after deducting the recent losses in the Arctic Ocean, is 172 vessels, against 169 

 January 1, 1876, 163 in 1875, and the number at sea January 1, 1877, was 146 vessels, against 137 a year ago, and 119 

 in 1875. Five barks are being built for the business, and others will follow, while from the merchant service there 

 is a prospect of adding a number of vessels, thus making the fleet larger than it has been for years. Should the catch 

 be proportionate to the number of vessels in the business, the importation of oil would be in excess of the demand, 

 but all our past experience has shown that, with an increase of the fleet, many of the whaling grounds are over- 

 crowded, and the result is a smaller average to each. 



The Arctic Ocean has again beeu a scene of disaster. Of a fleet of twenty vessels, twelve were lost or abandoned 

 in the ice, and while the masters with most of the officers and crews were enabled to escape, more than fifty men were 

 left behind who were unequal to the exertion necessary to save their lives. But the sad and fatal result of pushing 

 too far north will, we hope, be a lesson to our whalemen in future not to venture where there seems hardly a chance 

 of escape when opposing circumstances arise. 



The average catch of the vessels not lost, including two on Kodiak and Bristol Bay, was 656 barrels oil and 4,225 

 ]>onuds whalebone, aggregating to eight vessels 5,250 barrels oil and 33,800 pounds of Done. A few vessels cruised in 

 Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet with fair results. Hnmpbacking has been neglected the past year, except on the 

 African coast, where the catches were unusually good. 



In sperm whaling the success has been varied, vessels having been fortunate in the North Atlantic, on Chili and 

 the off-whore ground, while in other quarters the catch has been moderate or quite small. In the North Atlantic 

 upwards of 13,000 barrels of sperm oil were taken, a larger yield than for many years. Whales were plenty, and 

 many vessels took large fares. Ou Chili and the off-shore ground the fleet were very successful, nearly every one 

 getting an uuusual catch, while on \ew Zealand the results have been moderate. On the River Plate a few vessels 

 did very wpll, but the majority took but little oil, and ou the Congo Uivt-'i, with two pr three exceptions, the fleet 



