SEALS AND WHALES OF THE BRITLSH SEAS. 55 



was increased in 1749 to 40s. per ton, which caused a considerable increase 

 in the number of vessels ; but upon Parliament, in 1777, reducing the bounty 

 to 30s. per ton, the number of vessels rapidly fell off from 105 to 39 ; the 

 bounty was then, in 1781, raised to its old level, with a corresponding increase 

 in the number of vessels employed. Then followed a gradual process of reduc- 

 tion, until in the year 1824 the bounty altogether ceased, and the ships fell 

 off from 112 in 1824, to 88 in 1827.* During the nine years ending 1 818 

 there was an average of 91 English (sailing from eight ports), and forty- 

 one Scotch ships (sailing from nine ports) employed in the trade; in 1830 

 they were reduced to 41 English vessels (sailing from five ports), to whicli 

 Hull contributed 33, and 50 Scotch vessels (sailing from seven ports), to 

 which Peterhead contributed 13, and Dundee 9. 



Tlie years 1819 and 1830 were both very disastrous to the whale-trade; in 

 the former year fourteen British vessels were lost, and in the latter, nineteen 

 British ships were totally wrecked, and twelve seriously injured. The number 

 of ships employed has since gradually decreased, and at present Dundee and 

 Peterhead are the only two ports in Great Britain engaged in the whale-fishery. 

 Dundee sends out fifteen powerful steam vessels, which leave about the 

 beginning of May, and if fortunate in filling up, return, according to cir- 

 cumstances, from August to the beginning of November. Peterhead sends 

 five steamers and one sailing vessel ; they are ship-rigged, and from two to 

 five hundred tons register, and 40 to 100 horse power. The expense now 

 incurred renders it necessary that a large number of Whales should be taken 

 to make the vo)'age pay : the Arctic, in her voyage of 1873, captured twenty- 

 eifrht Whales, which were estimated to produce in oil and bone i^ 1 8,92 5, or 

 about £6-]'i> per Whale, the best Whale, a female with sucker, was estimated at 

 ;^i,500, and the smallest at only £\ 10. An average Whale produces 9^ tons 



McCuliocli's Dktionnry of Commerce. 



