THE ANTARCTIC SEAL FISHERIES. 



439 



5. STATISTICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



EXTENT OF THE FISHERIES IN 1880. In 1880 the Antarctic sealing fleet numbered ten vessels, 

 aggregating 1,277 tons, valued with outfits at $103,000. The crews numbered two hundred and 

 seventy-two men. The products for the same year were 9,275 fur-seal skins, valued at $90,431, 

 and 42,000 gallons of sea-elephant oil, valued at $21,420. The skins were mostly exported to Lon- 

 don to be dyed. The oil was refined and used for illuminating purposes, and mixed with sperm 

 oil for lubrication of machinery. The manner of dressing and dyeing the skins and the prepara- 

 tion of the oil will be discussed in another section of this report. 



The total number of fur-seal skins taken by the Antarctic fleet from 1870 to 1880 was 92,756, 

 and the quantity of sea-elephant oil brought home during the same period was 1,071,472 gallons. 

 Earlier statistics of this fishery are given in the review at the beginning of this chapter, and also 

 in the list of sealing voyages below. 



The following tables show the total number and class of vessels in the Antarctic fleet during 

 each year from 1840 to 1880, and also the number of vessels from the various New England ports 

 during the same period. The number of individual vessels in the fleet from 1840 to 1880 was 76. 



The number and class of Antarctic sealing vessels and their aggregate tonnage from 1840 to 1880. 



The number of Antarctic sealing vessels belonging to each port from 1840 to 1881. 



