THE WHALE FISHERY. 165 



continuance of this custom led us to report for the year 1.S81 a consumption of sperm oil in this country of 25,275 

 barrels, and in England of :i,000 tuns or 30,000 barrels, an aggregate of 55,000 barrels, when actually the large stocks 

 in refiners' hands a year ago makes it probable that the actual consumption was not much in excess of 40,000 barrels. 

 We give below a carefully made statement of the estimated actual consumption for 1882: 



Barrels. 



Crude sperm oil in importers' hands January 1, 1882 16,275 



Crude sperm oil in refiners' hands in United States and England 10, 300 



Crude sperm oil imported into United States in 1882 20,875 



Crude sperm oil imported into England from the colonies, &c 3,850 



66, 300 



Less stock in importers' hands January 1, 1883 20,100 



Less stock in refiners' hands in United States and importers' and refiners' hands in 



England _T;.7. 6,000 



26, 100 



Net consumption for the year 40, 200 



Whale oil is rapidly absorbed as soon as it arrives in market, and whalebone has been used during the past year 

 to a greater extent than heretofore. 



Sperm oil, from !).") cents at the commencement of the year, advanced steadily to $1.05 in February, $1.10 in April, 

 $111 in July, and then gradually receded, touching 96 cents at the close of the year. 



Whale oil, from f>3 rents in January, gradually advanced, touching 59 cents in September, and declining in Decem- 

 ber to 55 cents. 



Whalebone opened the year at $1.40 and steadily advanced, touching $2.25 in October, and closing the year at $2. 



The quantity of sperm oil at present on board of the whaling fleet is 5,300 barrels, against 12,000 barrels a year 

 ago, being the smallest amount known in our experience. 



TRADE REVIEW FOR 1883. 



lierieio of Hie n-tiale-filie>"./for 1883. The past year has been one of loss to those engaged in this business, and its 

 results have been discouraging. The failure of the Arctic season, with small catches in other localities, has brought 

 but small remuneration to those who risk their capital in the whale-fishery. 



The fleet now numbers one hundred and twenty-five vessels of all classes hailing from Atlantic ports, against one 

 hundred and thirty-eight a year ago, and nineteen from San Francisco, as against eight last year. The number of 

 vessels engaged in sperm whaling has been considerably decreased, owing to the low prices of oil, while, on account 

 of t he value of whalebone, agents are inclined to send most of their vessels to the Arctic Ocean and other right- whale 

 regions. Indications point to a steady decrease in tlie number of vessels sailing from Atlantic ports, and perhaps a 

 small increase in the number sailing from San Francisco for the Arctic Ocean. 



A new feature of the past year arising from the increase of Arctic whaling at, Pan Francisco has been the estab- 

 lishment of extensive works at that place for the manufacture and sale of whale and sperm oil, thus enabling the 

 owners there located, as well as others who import oils at that place, to find a market without paying the heavy cost 

 of shipping the same to the Atlantic seaboard. It is understood that the whole Arctic catch of oil, about 10,000 barrels, 

 has been purchased at San Francisco at increased prices. Their works, in addition to large facilities for the manu- 

 facture of sperm candles, have a capacity of 150 barrels of oil per day, and are to be enlarged if the imports at that 

 plan- and the sales of their products shall warrant. 



Sperm whaling continues to decline, and no catches of any amount were made during the year except a few in the 

 Atlantic Ocean, and two or three off Patagonia. The number of ships and barks now in that fishery at sea is forty- 

 eight, most of which will follow right whaling during half of the year. The continued low price of oil will soon prevent 

 the business being followed to any great extent. 



Right whaling has been unfortunate, and the season in the North Pacific, owing to prevalence of ice and bad 

 weather, was a failure. Thirty-eight vessels cruised there, three of which were lost, and the remainiug thirty-five 

 averaged 274 barrels of oil and 4,350 pounds of whalebone to each. The southern right whalers were not as fortunate 

 as in the previous year, and their general success was moderate. 



The price of sperm oil from 96 cents per gallon on January 1 rose to $1.05 in April and May, and from that time 

 steadily declined, closing the year at 90 cents. 



Whale oil from 55 cents in January continued at about the same price, with the exception of a rise to 59| cents 

 in April, until December, when on account of the demand at San Francisco it advanced, closing the year at 60 cents 

 per gallon asked. . 



Whalebone opened the year at $2 per pound for Arctic, and with a few variations steadily advanced, until at the 

 close of the year it sold at $4.75 per pound. 



The purchases of sperm oil for consumption during the year have amounted to 32,200 barrels; the purchases of 

 whale oil to 23,600 barrels, and of whalebone, 376,000 pounds; all the above being bought at Atlantic ports, besides 

 the purchases at San Francisco of all their importations, and quite an amount of oil and bone belonging to New Bed- 

 ford vessels. 



Our figures of imports for 1883 do not include the oil and bone purchased at San Francisco, it being difficult for 

 us, at this distance, to obtain the information with accuracy. 



