burden in the northern whale fishery, and 121 vessels, of 14,020 tons in the southern, which were navigated by 4059 men; the produce of the fishery at that time amounting to 350,000l. lawful money, or 1,160,000 dollars. At this time, a large portion of the spermaceti oil was sent to England in an unseparated state, the head matter being generally mingled with the body of the oil, commanding, as it did, the same price when in a mixed, as in a separate state. A considerable portion of the oil procured from the right whale was shipped to Boston, or other parts of our American colonies, for inland consump tion, or was exported to the West Indies, The manufacture of sperm candles, which was first commenced in Rhode Island, in 1750, was carried on to a considerable extent in New England and Philadelphia, and tended to furnish a motive for the fishermen to procure this species of matter. We here append a table, showing the amount of American whale fishery from 1771 to 1775.*

STATE of the Whale Fishery in Massachusetts, from 1771 to 1775.

"A few years previous to the revolution, the average price in market for spermaceti oil was about 40l. per ton, and for head matter 50l. per ton. Common whale oil was about 151. per ton, and the bone was worth about 2s. 4d. per lb.

6

"The Massachusetts' Bay Restraining Bill,' tending to restrict the commerce of New England, excluded their whaling ships from the banks of Newfoundland; but a special relaxation of the law was made in favour of Nantucket, on account of a petition from the island to that effect.

"Nantucket was found, after the revolutionary war, the principal mart of the whale fishery, in an impoverished condition. The 150 vessels which it owned at the commencement of the war, were dwindled down to a few old hulks, and the grass grew green in the streets; but the characteristic energy which had marked the enterprise of its sturdy settlers, soon exhibited itself upon its old field, the ocean, and the sound of the broad-axe and the hammer were again heard in its dockyards, building and refitting new vessels for its favourite enterprise. In 1785, the business promised great profits. The articles required for the outfits were low, while the price of oil was high. This state of things continued only a short time, for in the latter part of the succeeding year, crude sperm oil sold for 241. per ton, and head matter scarcely commanded 457. per ton. Measures were soon adopted to petition for its protection, and a bounty was granted by the commonwealth of Massachusetts, of 51. for every ton of white spermaceti oil, and 60s. for every ton of brown spermaceti oil; for the purpose of encouraging the business, many persons in other parts of the country were induced to embark in the whale fishery, thus increasing the quantity in this country, and diminishing its value. But the consumption was not sufficiently large to make its procuration very profitable; and the encouragement to this commerce which had been given by England, and the consequent quantity carried by their own mariners into that country, cut off American whaling merchants from British markets, especially as

* Pitkin's. Hunt's Magazine.

duties were required to be paid for its importation to Great Britain, after the war of the revolution."-Hunt's Magazine.

"Halifax, in Nova Scotia, affords an excellent harbour, opening directly from the Atlantic, and it was thought that a good market would be there provided for whale oil. Inducements were held out to the people of Nantucket to remove there, in 1786 and 1787, and a considerable number settled on a spot opposite Halifax, called Dartmouth, when there were built dwelling-houses, wharfs, spermaceti candle manufactories, stores, and dockyards. Here they carried on the whaling business for several years with success, but were finally induced to remove to Milford Haven, in the west of England, there to prosecute the whale fishery. Nantucket suffered considerably by this settlement, having lost some of its most active and enterprising whalemen, still the auspices of the whale fishery grew brighter, oil advanced in price, the number and size of the ships were increased, their voyages were extended, and the vessels from that port which had confined themselves to the West Indies, the coast of Guinea, and different parts of the shores of North America, now extended their ranging grounds to the banks of Brazil, where right and sperm whales were very numerous. The manufacture of sperm candles was increased, and large quantities were not only consumed in this country, but also exported to the West Indies. About this time the domestic consumption of oil was much extended by the establishment of lighthouses, and the introduction of machinery into the country; one branch of domestic industry thus aiding the other. In fact, the enterprise invested in this labour was enlarged to such a degree, that the little island of Nantucket, could not furnish sufficient seamen to carry on the whaling voyages from her own port, and many Indians and negroes were imported from the continent, who resided on that island, and became some of the most valuable and active agents of the whale fishery."-Hunt's Magazine, Pitkin.

"The principal seaports along New England coast, embarked in the whale fishery, from 1787 to 1789.

STATE of the Whale Fishery, from 1787 to 1789, inclusive.

"In 1790, the attention of the people of Nantucket was directed to the seal fishery, profitable voyages for the capture of these animals having been made previously from England, the seals being found upon the same coasts as the whales, and requiring the same outfits and men. The first expedition fitted out from New England was for the coast of Africa. It was not successful, but laid the foundation of a business which has been since prosecuted with energy and profit. During the succeeding year, a number of successful cruises having been made by the English vessels upon the western coast of South America, these foreign enterprises induced the people of Nantucket to range with their ships upon the same coast, and whaling ships then first adventured from this port to the Pacific Ocean, and almost invariably returned with full cargoes. The success of the whalemen of Nantucket in the whale fishery induced the people of the neighbouring settlement of New Bedford, which has since arrived to great opulence by this traffic, to increase the number of their whaling ships; and, in 1792, they had enlarged their adventures to a considerable

extent. The market for oil was at this time also very much extended in France; lamps were sent into that country from England, to encourage its use; and large shipments were made from the United States, which proved profitable; but the revolution that afterwards broke out in that country swallowed up all foreign enterprises. The period which the historian of Nantucket has denominated its golden age,' was soon turned to an age of bronze by the circumstances of the period, for while the French revolution effectually prevented the importation of the article into that country, most of the foreign markets became glutted; the price of oil in foreign ports fell below that for which it could be obtained in Nantucket, the provisions required for the outfits advanced in value, and ruin stared the whalemen in the face. In addition to these disastrous circumstances, war between France and the United States was expected while the whaling ships afloat were out upon long voyages, and commercial disaster, like the foreboding twilight of an eclipse, overshadowed this important branch of the commerce of the country.

"But notwithstanding all the difficulties which followed, we learn that in 1810 most of the business capital of the island of Nantucket was at sea, and, during that year, six or eight ships were fitted out from that port for the Pacific Ocean. But dark clouds now gathered again upon the commercial sky, and a war with England was threatened. The people who had been engaged in the traffic were soon deprived of the means of subsistence; and, while the motives for adventure in the traffic diminished, the premiums of insurance arose to twenty per cent. Two years afterwards, an embargo was laid upon our commerce, which restriction is generally a sure presage of war. Seven-eighths of the capital of Nantucket were afloat, three-fourths of which were not expected to return for a year; and so great was the apprehension of the declaration of war, that a formal petition was despatched to the British government by the people of Nantucket, through Admiral Cochrane, asking protection for their commerce, and expressing a willingness to remain neutral in the belligerent operation which succeeded. But all this was of no avail, and the navigators of that island, diverted from their ancient business, were left to starve, or to gain a scanty subsistence by fishing around the coast, or by cultivating its barren soil.

"At the close of the war of 1812, the country, it is well known, was involved in one common wreck; but the elastic energies of the nation revived, and the whale fishery was commenced upon a new foundation, and has been advancing with a gradual and solid growth to the present time. During the year 1819, it was extended to many points along the coast of New England; and whale ships were fitted out from New York, Long Island, New London, New Bedford, Cape Cod, and Boston, which have been increasing to the present day, constituting a source of great wealth to the beautiful settlements that are scattered along our northern maritime shores, as monuments of the liberality and enterprise of that high-minded class of men, our American whaling merchants. The growing population of the country, and the increased consumption of the articles produced by the whale fishery from the introduction of machinery; and the multiplied branches of trade requiring them, together with the more efficient organisation of this enterprise, and the security to its prosecution furnished by the strength of our government, will render it in coming time, as it now is, a lucrative and permanent field of commerce."-Hunt's Magazine.

According to Mr. Pitkin, the whole number of vessels engaged in this fishery, in the winter of 1834, was 434, of which, about 384 were ships, and fifty barks and brigs. The greatest part of these, belong to New Bedford, and Nantucket, and New London. The following is the number of vessels, in these three districts, with their tonnage, and number of men employed, furnished us by the collectors of these districts.

"The remaining number, being about 136 from the best information obtained, belong to the following ports :

، The number of vessels employed in the sperm fishery, from New Bedford, was 112, with a tonnage of 37,163, and 2828 men; and from Nantucket was sixty-nine, with a tonnage of 24,216, and 1684 men. The number, from the other ports, in the same fishery, may be estimated at about eighty, making the whole number, in the sperm fishery, about 261, and in the right whale fishery, about 170.

، The value of the ships employed in the former, with their outfits, has been estimated, by those well acquainted with the business, at 30,000 dollars each ; those in the latter, at 15,000 dollars, and the barks and brigs may be estimated at 10,000 dollars. The following, therefore, may be deemed the value of all the vessels, employed in the whale fishery from the United States, about the 1st of January, 1834, including their outfits.

"The entire tonnage of the whaling vessels, in the districts of New Bedford, Nantucket, and New London, as above stated, was 94,075; and if we estimate the tonnage of the vessels, in the other ports, in the ratio of the number of vessels, in these three places, the whole tonnage employed in the whaling business, may be stated at 136,000, which is not far from one-tenth of the whole tonnage of the United States; and by the same ratio, the whole number of men employed, would be about 10,900. The men usually have for their shares, three-tenths of the earnings.

“ In 1830, it was calculated, that the following, among many other articles, were consumed by the whale ships.

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Thirty-six thousand barrels of flour; 30,000 barrels of beef and pork ; 18,000 bolts of duck ; 6,000,000 of staves; and 2000 tons of cordage.

"The consumption of these articles, as well as others, must have increased since that period.

“ About one-half of the common whale oil, finds a market in Europe, one-quarter in the West Indies and South America, and the other quarter in the United States.

"Nearly the whole of the spermaceti oil is consumed in this country; from one-quarter to one-third being used in the cotton and woollen manufactories; and in this indirect way, one branch of domestic industry is materially benefited by another.

"And we cannot but observe in this place, that the temperance now practised on board most of these whale ships contributes, in no small degree, to the success of these long and hazardous voyages. We are happy to be able to state, that, in April, 1834, no less than 168 of the whale ships of New Bedford, were what are called temperance ships, furnishing no spirituous liquors, except for the medicine chest.

"Great Britain formerly gave a high bounty on vessels employed in the whale fishery;

but this bounty ceased in 1824. A duty, however, on foreign oil, was continued, amounting, in the case of spermaceti oil, to a prohibition.

"The South Sea fishery was not prosecuted by the British, until about the commencement of the American revolutionary war. The greatest number of ships engaged in it, in any one year, from 1814 to 1824, when the bounty ceased, was sixty-eight, tonnage 19,755, and employing 1827 men; and, in 1830, only thirty-one ships, with a tonnage of 10,997, and 937 men; and these ships were from the port of London."

OUTFITS OF WHALE SHIPS.

"The outfits required for a whaling ship constitute no inconsiderable item of the expense, amounting, in a vessel which is fitted out for a three years' voyage, to no less a sum than 18,000 dollars, while the hull not unfrequently costs 22,000 dollars more, while many have sailed whose total cost does not vary far from 60,000 dollars. The principal kind of provisions required for the crew upon their voyage, consists of beef and pork, bread, molasses, peas, beans, corn, potatoes, dried apples, coffee, tea, chocolate, butter, besides from 3000 to 4000 casks, made from white oak, and a quantity of spare duck cordage, and other articles which may be required in the course of the voyage. In a ship which mans four boats, from thirty to thirty-two men are employed. The contract entered into between the crew and the owners of the ship, and contained in the shipping articles that are required to be signed by each sailor, makes it binding on the owners to provide the ship and all the necessary outlays of the voyage; and upon the crew to perform their duty on board the ship, obeying all proper orders to the end of the voyage. As a compensation, they are entitled to such part of the oil, or whatever else may be obtained, as shall be agreed upon for their services; and if, in case of death or accident, any portion of the crew is unable to perform his part of the voyage, they or their legal representatives are empowered to draw, in their own right, whatever of compensation would have fallen to their share had the voyage been completed, this compensation being proportioned to the time they shall have served. The lays,' or shares of the captain, officers, and crew, are measured by the amount of their experience and value in the voyage."

The annexed enumeration of the quantities of many articles of foreign and domestic produce required in the outfit of whale ships, which sailed during 1841, is derived from the Nantucket Enquirer-good authority on all matters pertaining to this branch of commerce. The American whalers have increased from a few frail boats, hardly venturing from the shore, to a fleet of 650 sail of 190,000 tons burden, a monument reared upon the broad ocean, where the world may sail and read the chivalrous and enriching results of New England perseverance, energy, and industry. Other nations have not been negligent in encouraging this fishery; but in all cases with but little good effect. Notwithstanding bounties, loans, royal grants, and monopolies, have been showered upon the adventurous whalers of other nations, the fishery has died under these lavishments until America and New South Wales only import enough for their own consumption :