OILS AND FATS, ETC. 320 



and 55 tuns of black whale oil were shipped from Sydney, being a less 

 export than during any previous year. In 1840, no fewer than 6,151 

 tuns of the two descriptions of oil were exported, since which time the 

 produce has gradually dwindled to its present low amount. The export 

 of whalebone and seal skins has also, during that period, lessened m 

 the same proportions. The declension in the value of the export may 

 be seen by noticing that while in 1850 the total value of the export of 

 oil, whalebone, and seal skins from New South Wales, was 224,144Z., in 

 1853 it was only 25,490/., the export of the intervening years displaying 

 a regular gradation. 



Whale oil is frequently mixed with sperm oil to adulterate it, as the 

 former is a drying oil, attracting oxygen from the atmosphere, and 

 hardening ultimately into a horn-like substance, the smallest quantity 

 mixed with sperm oil injures it irretrievably for lubricating purposes. 



The various oils shown from British North America were — pale, 

 straw, and brown seal oil, cod oil, whale oil, porpoise oil, and dog- 

 fish oil. 



The export of fish oils from Newfoundland averages about 2,750,000 

 gallons, worth 320,000/., and about 10,600/. worth is used in the colony. 



The principal whale fishery is now carried on by the Americans, for- 

 statistics see vol. 1, p. 363. The imports of oil to the United States, 

 were as follows in barrels : — ■ 





Whale Oil. 



Sperm Oil 



1850 



201,000 



93,000 



1860 



140,000 



73,708 



A polar whale yields, on an average, 120 brls. (25 impl. galls.) of oil 



Seal Oil. — The oil from the seals is extracted partly by compres- 

 sion, by which the cold-drawn oil is obtained ; resort is then had to boil- 

 ing the blubber in large pans, cauldrons. 



The same method, and the same apparatus, might be used for extract- 

 ing the oil from seal-blubber as from cod-livers ; and when the difference 

 in the value of the oil made by the different methods is considered, it is 

 curious it has not been carried into effect, 



The quantity of oil wasted, partly by volatilization in boiling in the 

 cauldrons, and the inferior value given to the rest by its becoming car- 

 bonized or browned is considerable. Were the whole extracted by steam* 

 the advantage would be very great. The expense of fuel may be quoted 

 against the method, but the number of vessels that go to the cod-fishery 

 with no cargo but the salt for their fish would render the transport of 

 coal cheap. 



The exports of seal oil during the five years ending 1850 averaged 

 4,921 tuns annually ; the average for the five years ending 1855, 6,353 

 tuns. The total produce of seal and whale oil obtained by British ves- 

 sels in the Greenland fishery in the years 1849 — 58 was 23,636 tuns. 



