THE WHALE FISHERY. 201 



" The present selling price of whale oil is 33 per ton and of bone 720 per ton. The value 

 of the 514 tons oil got in 1881, at 33, would be 16,692, and of 24 tons of bone, at 720 per ton, 

 17,820. The total value of the whale fishing for 1881 is 34,788; for 1880 it was computed at 

 62,706; there is therefore a decrease for 1881 of 27,924. 



"Greenland and Newfoundland seal fishing: Total value for 1881, 96,118 10*. Greenland 

 whale fishing : Total value for 1881, 34,782. Total value of both fishings for 1881, 130,900 10s. 

 (From this sum the heavy expenses of the sealing and whaling fleet must be deducted.) Total 

 value of both fishings for 1880 was computed at 115,091 ; accordingly there is an increase for 1881 

 of 15,809, which is attributable mainly to the success -of -the Newfoundland seal fishery this year. 



" From the figures I have given it will be seen that the Greenland seal and whale fishings for 

 1881 have proved a failure, due, it is said, to the terrible severe weather that has prevailed in 

 Greeeland this season. Dundee is the headquarters of this industry in this country, and lias 

 fourteen excellent screw steamers, whose total tonnage is 6,999, and nominal horse-power 1,008, 

 engaged in the fishing. In addition to this there was another vessel (steamer) of 396 tons, but she 

 was lost this season in Davis Strait, but the crew were all- saved and distributed amongst the 

 other Dundee ships, which brought them home. All accounts concur in representing the weather 

 experienced in Greenland this year as being exceptionally stormy, for weeks gale succeeding 

 gale, blowing the vessels in upon a body of heavy ice, and some of them have thereby been more 

 injured than nsual this year. However, there has been no loss of life except from natural causes. 

 Seventy to eighty men go to make up a Greenland sealers crew, and one hundred and twenty to 

 one hundred and fifty that of a Newfoundland sealer, and fifty for a Greenland whaler. From 

 forty to fifty men accompany the vessels from Dundee; others are got in Shetland and at Saint 

 John's, Newfoundland. These men are paid in wages about 2 per month and an allowance of so 

 much per ton as may be fixed upon for oil money ; so that if the voyage does not turn out well, 

 as is the case of the Greenland seal and whale fishing this year, the men and their families are 

 badly off during the winter. Only two vessels will return anything to their crews in the shape of 

 oil money this year. Formerly all the seal-skins that came to Dundee had to go to London to be 

 cured or tanned. One large firm engaged in the seal-fishing business here has been erecting com- 

 modious and improved premises for carrying on the tanning process themselves, and they have an 

 immense stock of skins of their own to commence operations upon. This is a new industry added 

 to Dundee. A matter of interest in connection with the whale fishing has been discussed this 

 year, viz, the use of steam for propelling the vessels while in the fishing grounds. The noise of 

 the propeller scares the fish within a distance of a few miles, and a master of a ship, by ill-judged 

 eagerness to approach a whale, in ay deprive a whole fleet of a rich harvest from the object of their 

 common pursuit. An agreement between the captains of the Dundee ships, regulating the use 

 of steam to meet the necessities of the case, was drawn out and subscribed by them, and was, 

 it appears, fairly adhered to this year. The following is a complete detailed comparative statement 

 showing the value of the seal and whale fishings to the community of Dundee for twelve years, 

 and the yearly average value of same : 



