500 
Tlie price has not, therefore, fallen so much as might liavo been 
expected : the average price per ton of Seal oil is now from .£25 
to £30. The bulk of the oil is consumed in Dundee in the 
manufacture of jute fibre, an industry which has been developed 
to a surprising extent of recent years in that town ; and it is 
doubtless owing to this fact, that the Whale and Seal fisheries have 
gradually become centred in the port of Dundee — the only port 
in the United Kingdom, Avith the exception of Peterliead, Avhich 
still sends vessels to tlie Seal and Whale fishery. 
The skins of the Seals are salted as soon as the blubber is re- 
moved, and in a rough state are Avorth about five shillings each. 
Some are dressed Avith the hair on ; but the bulk arc made into leather. 
They vary very much in size and quality, according to the species 
from Avhich they are obtained. From the year 1819 to the season 
of 1881 the Peterhead sealers have taken l,69G,94-5 Seals; Avhich, 
at an estimate of eighty Seals to the ton of oil, the oil being valued 
at £28 per ton, and the skins at five shillings each, Avould yield 
£1,018,172. From the year 18G0 to the season just closed, the 
Dundee vessels haAm taken 1,146,082 — the bulk of tliem in Kew- 
foundland ; — Avhich, upon the same A'aluation, shoAVs a gross return 
of £687,648.^' 
The above imperfect sketch of the progress and present position 
of the northern Seal fishery refers more particularly to those 
gregarious species, such as the Saddle-back, Avhich at the breeding 
season collect in Amst packs, and Avhen nursing their young fall an 
easy prey to the hunter. Since the Eight Whale and the Walrus 
have become scarce, the vessels Avhich formerly made these great 
beasts the primary object of their pursuit, picking up such Seals 
only as came in their Avay, have now given their attention to the 
smaller game ; and the introduction of steam has so perfected the 
* The past season (1882) has been a very trying one to the NeAvfoundland 
sealers. Six vessels left Dundee, and, from the vast accumulation of ice in 
the Atlantic, only succeeded in reaching St. John’s Avith great difiiculty and 
after much delay. Tlie number of Seals killed Avas only 63,204, and tliesc 
Avere very unequally distributed — 24,663 falling to one vessel, the remainder 
averaging only 7708 Seals each. In 1881 the same six vessels took 130,985 
Seals, or an average of 23,301 each ; but that year, for the Dundee vessels at 
least, Avas an exceptionally good one. 
