236 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



STEAMERS. The American whaling fleet was composed entirely of sailing vessels until the 

 hazardous fishery of the Arctic regions, as well as the ever-increasing demand for quicker trips 

 from one whaling ground to another, and for rapid transportation to market, suggested the steam 

 whaling barks now successfully used in the North Pacific. The first steam whaler from the United 

 States was the bark Pioneer, 212 tons, Ebenezer Morgan master. She was originally built at 

 Charlestown, Mass., as a Government transport, and rebuilt in 1805 for the whale fishery. The 

 projectors of this enterprise were Messrs. Williams & Havens, of New London, Conn., whose names 

 are prominently connected with theGrinnell Expeditions. The Pioneer sailed from her port April 

 28, 18C6, for the Davis Strait fishery, and returned November 14, 1866, with 340 barrels of whale 

 oil and 5,300 pounds of bone. During her second season, in July, 18ii7, she was crushed in the 

 ice and abandoned. I am indebted to Mr. John A. Tibbits, collector of customs, New London. 

 Conn., for the above particulars in regard to the Pioneer. The bark Java sailed from New Bedford 

 October 2, 1872, with a donkey engine, which was used as a power for hoisting purposes. This 

 gave rise to fh report, which gained currency in the fishery, that she was the first steam whaler 

 ffftm America ; btv^, after diligent search, I am convinced that the Pioneer has the precedence. 



Tke most prominent vessel of this type, however, both so far as the initial step in the North 

 Pacific isNioucerned, as well as in a historical point of view, was the late Rodgers, formerly the 

 Mary and HelM^ which was lost in the search for the Jeaunette in 1881. 



In 1879 Willian^ Lewis, of New Bedford, as agent and part owner, with others, caused to be 

 constructed a bark with all modern appliances, including auxiliary steam-power as a motor, 

 which, among other advantages, enabled her to make quick passages in calms, as well as to pro- 

 ceed through the ice at a rate of from 6 to 8 miles per hour when necessary. The space occupied 

 by the boiler and engine was about one-eighth of the vessel. She was also provided with a separate 

 engine forward for working the anchor and rotating the windlass when hoisting in blubber. 

 She was christened Mary and Helen, iu honor of tlie daughters of Edward Haskell, and grand- 

 daughters of Alexander H. Seabury, who was also one of the owners, all of New Hedford. She 

 sailed from her home port September 12, 187!), aud was sent into the ice in 18SO under the command 

 of Captain Leander C. Owen. After a successful cruise she was sold to the United States Govern- 

 ment for $100,000, and under the name of Rodgers proceeded in search of the missing research 

 steamer Jeannette and the whalers Mount Wollaston and Vigilant. She went into winter quar- 

 ters at St. Lawrence Bay, Siberia, in 1881. On November 30 of that year, a fire broke out in her 

 fore-hold and she was abandoned. Her officers and crew were rescued by Captain Owen, her 

 former commander, then master of the steam whaler North Star. The ISIorth Star, in a remarkable 

 succession of events, was afterwards, during the same season, crushed by ice while cruising for 

 whales, at an almost total loss to her owners. Immediately after the sale of Mary and Helen to 

 the Government, orders were given to build a twin ship, and Mary and Helen (No. 2) is now afloat 

 in the whaling service. She is a counterpart of her predecessor.* 



* The steamer Bowhead, 553 tons, lost iu the Arctic iu 18f?4, was in her day the largest vessel .-.lloat iu the whaling 

 service. The Mary aud Helen (No. 2), 508 tons, ranked next in size. The Orea, 4(W tons, of San Francisco, is now 

 the largest steam whaler, and the Lncretia, 27(i tons, of New lied ford, the smallest. lOijj-hl steam whalers are now 

 employed; six of them hail from San Francisco and two from New Bedford. 



The following particulars respecting the dimensions and the construct ion of the present steam whalers were 

 supplied by Messrs. Goss, Sawyer aud Packard, Bath, Me. 



Length between perpendiculars, ICO feet ; length overall, Nil.) ; breadth of beam, 3Hfeet, and depth of hull, 10 feet; 

 tonnage, 512 tons gross and 343 tons net. The. engines an- single, direct-acting, with two boilers <il the Scotch type. 

 Either anthracite or bituminous coal may be used ; 7 tons are consumed in twenty-tour hours' steaming. The rate of 

 speed is about 10 knots an hour. The propeller is mm hoisting, hits two blades, and is made of yellow metal. In the 

 ice it is protected by the stern aud rudder posts, the blades being in a line. The planking is of oak and yellow pine 

 The bow is sheathed with three-eighths of au inch yellow metal, and solidly timbered. Provisions are made for thirty 



