country, cut off American whaling merchants from British markets, especially as duties were required to be paid for its importation to Great Britain after the war of the revolution.

Another fact tended to injure in great measure the profits of the American whale fishery, which was the establishment of a colony at Halifax by the English government, for the purpose of carrying on the trade from that port. This place afforded an excellent harbor that looked out upon the ocean, and it was thought that a good market would be here provided for oil as soon as it was landed. Large inducements were held out to the people of Nantucket to remove to that point, and they were successful, for in 1786 and 1787, we find a considerable number of persons from Nantucket removing to a point opposite Halifax, which they called Dartmouth, and there building dwelling-houses, wharves, spermaceti candle manufac tories, stores, and dockyards. Here they carried on the whaling business for several years with success, but were finally induced to remove to Mil. ford Haven, in the west of England, there to prosecute the same traffic. The establishment of Dartmouth was thus broken up. Although 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 dif. ferent 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 labor 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.*

Nor were other ports upon the coast of New England, cut off as they were from the rich resources of the soil that prevailed in the interior of the country, deficient in the same sort of enterprise. The most prominent seaports along this part of our coast had embarked in the whale fishery, and we possess accurate official documents that exhibit its condition from the year 1787 to 1789, and which we here subjoin.

* We may as well state here that the early progress of the whale fishery can only be collected from fragmentary accounts, scattered through the works of several writers who have treated of the subject incidentally. Mr. Pitkin, in his "View of the Commerce of the United States," has given us important statistical facts connected with its progress; Beale, in his recent account of the sperm whale, has confined himself principally to the operations of that enterprise in the British empire; while Scoresby, who possessed a practical knowledge of the subject, has devoted his remarks to the habits of the whale, and to the operations which have sprung up in other countries for the purpose of its capture, without considering the American enterprise which has been directed to that object.

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

In 1790, the attention of the people of Nantucket was directed to the sealing business, from the fact that many very profitable voyages for the capture of these animals had been made from England, and as it was nearly allied to the whale fishery, the seals being found upon the same coasts, requiring the same outfits and men, an expedition was accordingly fitted out from this country for the coast of Africa, which, although unsuccessful, laid the foundation of that enterprise which has been since so successfully prosecuted in the United States. 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 neighboring 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 revo. lution 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 subsist ence; 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 organiza. tion 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.

In order to show the progress of the whale fishery from the period which we have mentioned, it may be proper here to state that according to Mr. Pitkin, the quantity of sperm oil brought into this country in 1831, was 109,200 barrels, and of common oil, 114,341; and of whalebone, 1,029,690 pounds, the total value being 3,488,632 dollars; that into the single ports of New Bedford and Nantucket, there were brought in the year 1833, 76,631 barrels of sperm oil, 84,596 barrels of common oil, and 729,759 pounds of whalebone; to which when we add the amount brought into the other ports during that year, it equals the sum of 4,046,900 dollars, this enormous sum being the product of our domestic industry in that de partment for one year. Mr. Pitkin, who is doubtless a good authority, states that the whole number of vessels engaged in the whale fishery in

Pitkin's Commercial Statistics, page 44.

1834, was four hundred and thirty-four, the greater part of which belonged to New Bedford, Nantucket, and New London, whose aggregate value was ten millions one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, and employing not less than ten thousand nine hundred men. From the same source, we learn that at this time, about one half of the common whale oil found a market in Europe, one quarter in the West Indies, and the other quarter was consumed in the United States. The spermaceti oil imported, is consumed mainly in the United States, from a quarter to a third being used in the cotton and woollen manufactories, and a considerable portion in the engines of our steamboats, and by other kinds of machinery.* This consumption, however, would be much greater, had not gas-lights been introduced into our larger cities as a substitute for oil.

We here subjoin a table showing the amount of importation of oil and bone into the United States in the years 1835, 1836, 1837, and 1838, with the total value of the same at estimated average prices:-Also, the different prices of each article at which sales were actually made in New Bedford for the same period, so far as ascertained.

FOR 1835.

Sperm oil, 172,683 bbls. at 84 cts. per gal., average price, $4,569,192,18 Whale oil, 120,649

Whalebone, 965,192 lbs. at 24 cts." lb.

at 36 cts.

66

66

1,368,159,66

231,646,08

$6,168,997,92

PRICES.

SPERM OIL-February, 77 cents; March, 78, 79 cents; April, 79, 80 cents; May, 80, 83, 85, 84 cents; November, 91 cents.

WHALE OIL-March, 33 cents; April, 35, 36 cents; July, 37 cents.
WHALEBONE-20 to 25 cents.

FOR 1836.

66

Sperm oil, 130,998 bbls. at 88 cts. per gal., average price, $3,631,264,56
Whale oil, 129,968 at 44 cts.
Whalebone, 1,028,773 lbs. at 25 cts. "

66

lb.

1,801,356,48

257,193,25

$5,689,814,29

PRICES.

SPERM OIL-March, 86, 84 cents; April, 85, 84, 89, 884 cents; Oc. tober, 95 cents; November, 92 cents; December, 88 cents.

WHALE OIL-February, 43 cents; March, 42, 43, 434 cents; April, 44 cents; May, 43 cents; September, 48 cents; October, 47 cents; December, 49 cents.

For important facts connected with the progress of the whale fishery, we are indebted to Scoresby, Beale, Pitkin, Macy, and numerous masters of ships; nor would we forbear alluding here to " Miriam Coffin, or the Whale Fisherman," a tale written by one of our countrymen: he is understood to be Joseph C. Hart, Esq., a lawyer in the city of New York, who in that work has given us a graphic picture of this bold enterprise.

FOR 1837.

Sperm oil, 181,724 bbls. at 82 cts. per gal., average price, $4,693,930,92

Whale oil,

66 2,277,939,51

Whalebone, 1,753,104 lbs. at 22 cts. "

PRICES.

SPERM OIL-January, 90 cents; February, 90, 87 cents; March, 90 cents; June, 80 cents; August, 75, 76 cents; September, 77 cents; November, 79, 80, 81 cents; December, 80 cents.

WHALE OIL-March, 40, 42, 41 cents; April, 40 cents; May, 33, 30 cents; August, 30, 29, 28 cents; September, 30 cents; October, 284, 30 cents; November, 30, 31 cents.

WHALEBONE-27 to 14 cents.

FOR 1838.

Sperm oil, 131,856 bbls. at 85 cts. per gal., average price, $3,529,785,12 Whale oil, 227,016

66

at 32 cts.

66

2,288,321,28 338,931,12

Whalebone, 1,783,848 lbs. at 19 cts. "

PRICES.

$6,157,037,52

SPERM OIL-February, 80 cents; March, 77, 78 cents; April, 78 cents; May, 78, 76, 761 cents; June, 78, 784 cents; July, 80, 82 cents; August, 80, 82 cents; September, 85, 87, 90, 91, 894 cents; October, 931, 95 cents; November, 943, 95, 97 cents.

WHALE OIL-March, 30 cents; April, 30 cents; May, 30 cents; June, 30, 31 cents; August, 33 cents; September, 33, 34 cents; October, 34 cents; December, 34 cents.

WHALEBONE-15 to 20 cents.

Note. The importations for 1839 to 30th of September, is 116,500 bbls. of sperm, and 201,800 bbls. of whale oil. For 1838 to the same date, the importations were 100,707 bbls. sperm, and 206,007 bbls. whale oil.

The probable imports for the year 1839, will be-sperm, 150,000 bbls., whale, 230,000 bbls.

PRICES.

SPERM OIL-January, 102, 103 cents; February, 102 cents; March, 104, 102, 103, 104, 108, 110, 112, 112 cents; April, 112, 110, 109 cents; May, 108, 100 cents; June, 100, 100 cents; July, 100 cents; August, 105 cents; September, 106, 107, 110 cents.

WHALE OIL-January, 344, 34, 33 cents; February, 34, 331, 32 cents; March, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 384 cents; April, 37, 36, 381⁄2 cents; May, 37, 38, 33, 33 cents; June, 36 cents; July, 37, 38 cents; August, 31 cents; September, 34, 36 cents.

WHALEBONE-Sales of bone have ranged from 17 to 20 cents per lb. Sales in September at 19 and 20 cents.

The amount of capital invested in this business, has been gradually increased, so that at the present time, there are employed in the whale fishery of the United States 557 ships, with an aggregate tonnage of 169,983. The following table exhibits the number of vessels employed in the whale fishery, character, and amount of tonnage, and the ports to which they belong.