306 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



institution. The naptlia is used for various purposes, and is 

 valuable as a solvent for India rubber and gutta perclia. The 

 parafine is a product exactly resembling wax, and is used for 

 making candles. The amount obtained of this product is some 

 2,000 lbs. from 100 tons of coal. This substance has been found 

 very valuable in the dressing of tanned skins — putting on the fine 

 face and softness which characterize the French dressed skins. 



At present, on account of the impossibility of shipping the pro- 

 ducts on the Ohio river, the company are not prepared to supply 

 the public, excepting in small quantities; but as soon as the river 

 is at a boating stage — and the water is now rising — they will be 

 receiving 6,000 or 8,000 gallons per week. Specimens of all the 

 products can be seen at the office of the company, No. 98 Broad- 

 way. 



As an explication of the national importance of this enterprise 

 we have made a computation of its comparative results with those 

 of the whaling fleet, by which it will be seen that the product is 

 enormous in view of the capital, number of men and time 

 employed. In 1855 there were engaged in the whale fishery 635 

 vessels, of all sizes, with an aggregate of about 200,000 tons, and 

 employing in all departments some 15,000 men and $10,000,000 

 capital. The product of the fishery was 72,649 bbls. sperm and 

 184,015 bbls. right whale oil. The average time employed to 

 produce this result was 42 months for the sperm whalers, and 30 

 months for the right whalers, making a general average of 36 

 months. The sperm oil sold at an average of $1.77 2-10 per 

 gallon, and the whale at .71 3-10. At these prices the aggregate 

 sales of the entire product realized in round numbers ten and a half 

 millions of dollars. The present product of the Breckinridge 

 works is, with 30 men, say 675,000 gallons annually. The same 

 number of men and the same amount of capital' as the whale 

 fishery requires, employed in the production of oil from Breckin- 

 ridge coal, would produce in twelve months the enormous amount 

 of $275,000,000, instead of $10,500,000 as above. The whale- 

 bone in the one case, and the products other than oil in the other, 

 are omitted from the calculation. Of course this comparison is 



