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APPENDIX. 
the fish often ^secured, by the use of my proposed harpoon 
from a gun, 'or shells, if skilfully applied. 
The inefficacy of the hand-harpoon is sufficiently evinced 
both by the complaints of those engaged in the fishery, 
and by the great excitements held out in the shape of remu- 
nerations by the Society of Arts, Commerce, and Manu- 
factures, to those who invented gun-harpoons ; and those 
who were most successful in the use of them. 
Some of the gun-harpoons, already in use, though they 
have by no means performed what was desired, have, 
amongst many instances of failure, enabled those who 
used them to strike fish, which could not have been reached 
by the hand. The instances of failure have been in some 
cases attributable to the inadequacy of the instruments to 
their purpose; but more frequently to want of skill in 
those who had the direction of them. Between these two 
causes, they have fallen into total neglect. — Captain 
Scoresby writes thus on this subject : — 
‘‘ The loss of many fish, from unskilful hands using the 
gun-harpoon, has thrown it into disuse.” 
In another part of his most excellent work, he says — 
“ By some, the gun-harpoon is held in prejudiced aversion.” 
With regard to the first of these observations, I would 
remark, that the well-known inefficacy of the present gun- 
harpoon, in many, is very likely to have bred the distrust of 
it which exists in all, cases. It is the natural consequence 
of such a distrust to check that exertion, which is required 
for the attainment of skill in its management. Men will 
make no efforts, where success is impossible; and they will 
be proportionably inert, when it is improbable. 
The prejudice of which Captain Scoresby speaks against 
the gun-harpoon, at present known, I regret to say, was 
admitted by all conversant in the concerns of the fishery, 
of whom I made inquiries ; a circumstance, that excited no 
small degree of astonishment in my mind, from the self- 
