xlviii 



Thirt II -first Annual Report 



A feature so unusual as to call for remark was that one of the sperm 

 whales was a female, this being only the second occasion since whaling 

 was started in Scottish waters that a female has been captured, although 

 55 males have been taken. All the ^^orthcapers, and 9 of the 12 blue 

 whales, were taken in Hebridean waters, and the returns again go to 

 sho\v that these species are rarely present together, the former seldom 

 being seen after the end of June, while the latter do not as a rule 

 appear until well on in July. The blue whale is the largest of all 

 cetaceans, specimens having been captured of 100 feet in length, 

 although the largest ever captured in Scottish waters fell short of that 

 dimension by 15 feet. 



In securing the catch, 11 steamers were employed, of an aggregate 

 tonnage of 469 tons, and valued at £51,800. The number of steamers 

 which the Companies may employ was fixed at 11 in 1908, and has 

 not since been altered, but the tonnage and value, as compared with 

 the returns for 1911, show decreases of 28 tons and £3750 respectively, 

 due to changes among the vessels. The crews of these vessels numbered 

 110, no change having occurred since the previous year. During the 

 currency of the season, which lasts from April to September, 391 

 voyages were made, or an average of 36 voyages per vessel, as against 

 406, and an average of 37, in 1911. 



At the height of the season 281 men were employed at the factories 

 on shore, of whom 138 were Norwegians and 143 British, as compared 

 with 147 Norwegians and 148 British in the preceding year, the net 

 decrease of 14 being attributable to the smaller number of whales 

 which fell to be dealt with. 



The foregoing statistics are summarised in the following table : — 



Men employed 



No. of Total Total in Factories No. of 



Stpamprs Tonnage Value engaged on (Maximum Voyages 

 bteamers. lonnage. \ alue. g^g^j^^g^g Number). made. 



£ Brit. Foreign. 



1912 - 11 469 51,800 110 143 138 391 

 1911 - 11 497 55,550 110 148 147 406 



The quantity and value of the various products into which the 

 carcases of the whales were converted is shown in the following table, 

 together with the corresponding figures for 1911 : — 





1912. 



1911. 



Products. 







Average 







Average 





Weight. 



Value. 



Price 



Weight. 



Value. 



Price 







per Ton. 







per Ton. 





Tons. 



£ 



£ 



s. 



Tons. 



£ 





s. 



Oil, 



2,060 



33,396 



16 



4 



2,11H 



40,191 



f9 



1 



Cattle Food, ... 



S35| 



2,555 



7 



12 



3171 



2,3921 



7 



11 



Bonemeal, 



2181 



8631 



3 



19 



1801 



704| 



3 



18 



Manure, 





5,810" 



6 



1 



1,183^ 



9,072 



1 



13 



Whalebone, ... 



441 



3,562 



80 



1 





2,321 





14 



Spermaceti, 



1021 



2,4621 



24 



3 



175 



4,250 



24 



6 







£48,6491 









£58,9311 







