BY W. LODEWYK CROWTHER, D.S.O., MB, 139 



"caught 207 whales, producing Oil and whalebone to the 

 "value of £14,373. 



"From Launceston there were 16 ships and 53 boats 

 "employed, which caught 130 whales and produced Oil and 

 "whalebone to the value of £10,921. At Great Swan Port 

 "there was one ship and four boats employed, which caught 

 "19 whales, value £900, and 50 barrels of Bream, value 

 "£150. ' {H. T. Almanack, Ross, 1835.) 



The indication of the great activity of the Launceston 

 ships conveyed by the above is of especial interest, and I 

 hope it may stimulate someone from the Northern City 

 to investigate the whaling history of that harbour. 



In 1834 tha Hohart Town Courier (June 13th) states 

 that "Our whaling establishment has, we rejoice to say, 

 "been already more successful than at the same advance 

 "of the season of any former year. By August 15th 

 "Messrs. MaicLachlan and Young's establishment had al- 

 "rsady caught no less than 60 whales, from which nearly 

 "40l> tuns of Oil has been obtained, and other parties have 

 "beem proportionately successful." {H . T. Courier, 

 August 15 th.) 



Capt. KeJly on October 17th lost his vessel the "Aus- 

 tralian" on Bruny Island. 



To give an idea of the value to the Colony of this 

 industry in 1838, the total value of Oil exported for the 

 year was £137,000, compared with £172,000 for wool. 

 (Fenton, History of Tasmania, page 9 - 148.) 



In 1840 and 1841 there were many applications to 

 the Lands Office to lease areas on various favoured Bays 

 and Inlets. Tliii*ty-five such applications were granted 

 in 1840-41, and six refused. The latter were due for the 

 most part to the fact that such areas were not granted 

 when in the vicinity of Convict or Probation Stations, as 

 at Maria Island and Forestier's Peninsula. Again others 

 were refused owing to no advanced payment of rent. The 

 terms for such leases were not severe, i.e., 3 acres, a front- 

 age on the sea of 3 chains, and for this a yearly i-ental of 

 5s. A map is attached showing the approximate locations 

 of these grants. Among those who applied were: — . 



Capt. Chamberlain. Askin Morrison. 



Ed. and W. Fisher. Charles Seal. 



Edward Garth. William Young. 



■ James Kelly. Thomas Lucaa. 



