492 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The ship-chandlery business for whalers virtually began at Hono: 
lulu in 18438. From this time on a number of firms made it their ree- 
ular business. The following summary of an article appearing in the 
Polynesian, Honolulu, April 20, 1861, gives a very good idea of the 
extent to which Honolulu was benefited by the visit of whalers: 
For the twelve years from 1849 to 1860, both inclusive, it is stated that 4,929 callings 
at ports on the islands were made by whalers. Domestic supplies to the extent of 
$1,382,413 were furnished to them. It is estimated that these 4,929 ships, averaging 
30 men each (147,870), expended $30 each at the islands, whieh would amount to 
$4,436,100. It is also estimated that the repairs to the fleet amounted to $180,000. 
The following table shows for certain years between 1846 and 1875, 
both inclusive, the value of supplies furnished to foreign whalers at 
Honolulu, together with the number of vessels so supplied for certain 
years: 
. » Number . , o¢ | Number 
Years. aa a of vessels Years. | venue of of vessels 
. SUP PLES: supplied. | SUppAeS. | supplied. 
56; OOF] 322... .5.8 1868 c.Ssiie ns aawictel ceeposeeee eee $13, 200 44 
8, 200 | UG 7 aS eee ee eee ere ee | 65,000 93 
, 000 TOS4|| “1865422224222. dase. cteemasene | 50,400 ne eee 
3, 500 | MOG S| S665) cen: a5 eae ee I~ 69" 000) Se ee see 
:, 400 BO ESOT: tele c.cm ata eees | 72 100 Ws Zee ene 
49,720 226° W S68 Se eee o.oo S ee ee yee 56':'800" || ee. te ees 
37, 690 PABA TBO soc oe ateru aos erase alate woe 46; :200 eee eases 
, 975 189 LST OR ces ote See ta eee eee ‘3D, O00) A emec anes 
3, 750 LP Bo a Sai ee sas ee ee 10}b00))| See 
9 SA0 TOON USTs aero dac sees eee eee ae 16,600" |2 et See 
8&5, 000 170 1874.2 .o50s- teen. cede Voenaeee 2) SOON | secs aes 
38, 500 Ct || ISTO Poses wees. ces cheat acer 720046 <2 noes 
, 000 2 || 
* Only shows value of supplies furnished to vessels in the inner harbor.. There is no record of ie 
supplies sold to vessels in the outer harbor. 
+ No separate record was kept by the custom-house after 1875. 
The profits in this business were enormous fora time, and it has 
been well said that ** Honolulu was built upon the whale business.” 
No specific records were kept of these matters at Lahaina, but it is 
known that during 1849 the supplies furnished to whalers amounted to 
$38,500, while in 1850 they amounted to $24,640. 
The first recorded transshipment of whaling products was in 1846, 
when whalebone was so handled. The business practically 
began, however, in 1851, and was of immense benefit to Honolulu, as 
this harbor was the principal scene of operations. As wharves were 
practically nonexistent at this time, the hulks of old whalers and mer- 
chantmen were used as storage places for the oil and bone until vessels 
were ready to load for home ports. The whalers would usually store 
their catch here on their return from a cruise, then refit and start on 
another cruise. Regular clipper ships would call at the islands, bring- 
ing out supplies, and return with a cargo of bone and oil. On Novem- 
ber LO, 1857, the clipper ship /ojn Zand sailed from Honolulu with a 
cargo of oil and bone for New Bedford valued at $635,556. 
some 
