PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
111
C.O. 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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a view to securing a limitation of the mumber licensed. Nevertheless, some such limitation seems essential to obtaining an adequate degree of protection for the whales, and, accordingly, the lines on which the Powers might be approached should receive consideration.
In the case of each, country there will be a number of whaling steamers whose employment that country permits, or is pledged to permit, in its territorial waters. That number will, in most cases, be definite, but in some cases, e.g., that of South Africa, which has leased sites for whaling purposes without any restriction on the number of vessels employed, it will be rather difficult to fix. For the purposes of argument, let it be assumed that such a number can be fixed. Then it might be possible to agree upon a second arbitrary number, say, twenty, and to conclude an arrangement such that countries with twenty whaling steamers or more would not increase their present number at all, and countries with less than twenty whaling steamers would not increase their present number by more than (say) half the difference between it and twenty. This would afford a sliding scale.
The word "country" has been used advisedly in preference to "Power," for it can hardly be supposed that all the Powers possessing Colonies would agree to be classed as single countries or units for the purposes of such an arrangement. It is probable that each British Dominion would have to be classed as a separate unit, but it might be possible, for example, to class the tropical African possessions of a single Power as a single unit.
The difficulties of securing an arrangement on the lines indicated are, in any case, considerable, and would apparently be greatly increased by attempting to make it world-wide. Knowledge of the migrations of whales is too scanty to enable areas for separate arrangements to be suggested on any very logical basis; but it seems that the South Atlantic and North Pacific are areas which might usefully be dealt with separately. In the former, at any rate, protection is much required. If South Africa is included over one hundred and ten whaling steamers are employed in it. In the North Pacific area about forty-five are employed. The rest of the world has about sixty steamers and twenty-four sailing vessels.
21 June, 1913.
22977
(No. 88.) SIR,
No. 30.
FALKLAND ISLANDS.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 5 July, 1913.)
E. R. D.
Government House, Stanley, 10th June, 1913.
I
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a report, by the Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. E. B. Binnie), on the whaling operations conducted in the waters of the South Shetlands and Graham's Land during the 1912-13 season.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
W. L. ALLARDYCE,
Governor.
Enclosure in No. 30.
The STIPENDIARY MAGISTRATE, South Shetlands, to the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Office of the Magistrate, Port Foster,
29th March, 1913.
I HAVE the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the following report on the whaling operations at the South Shetlands and Graham's Land during the 1912-1913 season.
The past season might be considered a record for the South Shetlands compared with the catches hitherto. Up to the 1st January the weather could not have been better for whaling purposes, although continual storms after that date rendered the pursuit of whales on some days almost impossible. The Hektor Whaling Com- pany, who are building a shore station at Port Foster, have been fortunate in choosing this year for that purpose; everything for the factory, such as heavy building
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material, &c., was landed soon after arrival, and, owing to the exceptionally fine weather, the erection of the factory went on rapidly, so much so that on the 24th December the first whale carcass was hauled up on the platform.
A record number of 5,044 whales were taken, from which was extracted 198,410 barrels of oil, the approximate value of the latter, according to the exporter's valuation, being £599,886 (vide attached tables). The accompanying returns show an increase of two whales, 49,640 barrels of oil, and £169,918 in the total value of the catch (£608,556), including baleen and fertilizer, over the returns for the 1911-12 season.
"
"Ross and s.s. Edle," working in
Thirty-two licensed whalers were employed by the ten companies operating, or two more than last season, namely, s.s. connection with the shore station of the Hektor Company.
A marked increase will be noticed in the number of barrels of oil extracted from each whale, owing to the fact that in the early part of the season many very large blue whales were caught (the gunners stated that such whales as these had never before been seen at the South Shetlands). The fact that no less than from 70 to 80 barrels per whale were obtained from the blubber only of some of these monsters will no doubt give an idea of their size. Three carcasses which were taken up on the platform measured 97 feet in length. It was reported that, on one occasion, the "Gobernador Bories," of the Sociedad Ballenera de Magallanes, extracted 500 barrels of oil from three blue whales, using, of course, the jaw bones and tail, and what is termed "the inside fat." These large creatures seldom appeared after the new year; there was, in consequence, a considerable decrease in the average number of barrels of oil produced from each whale.
S.8.
Shore Factory, Deception Island.
With reference to the station erected by the Hektor Company, I take this opportunity to mention its present capacity and the extensions proposed for next season. The station now contains 18 pressure boilers, each measuring 12 feet by 8 feet (these are the largest pressure boilers used in the industry), three of which, having a larger aperture than the others, are employed exclusively for bone. These digesters are connected with three steam boilers capable of a pressure of about 200 lbs. of steam per square inch. It is difficult to say exactly how many whales can be cut up and put into these digesters, as the former vary greatly in size. The following example, however, is approximately correct. A blue whale 90 feet in length and 40 feet in girth, when cut up, will fill three digesters with meat and cne and a half with bone. The Hektor Company intend next year to erect 18 more digesters, and two more steam boilers, which will increase the pressure to 350 lbs. per square inch.
Fertilizer.
The plant for the manufacture of fertilizer was not ready until the 8th February last, when the latter was produced for the first time in the South Shetlands. The drier is of the latest pattern, such as is fitted in floating factories, and is of a cylindri- cal type which both dries and grinds at the same time. The production of about 70 to 80 bags of this guano is considered a good day's work, the hours being the usual working hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Another of these driers is also to be installed next year, the foundation for it having already been laid. The total export of guano was 950 bags, or 95 tons.
Baleen.
As on other whaling grounds, baleen is used as a means of stowing cargo, being now considered of little value. About 309 tons of blue whale baleen were exported, the value of which was £8,100.
Shipping.
During the season 87 local reports were made and 71 transires issued four foreign vessels entered, and ten cleared.
Casualties.
Although many minor accidents resulted through whale boats striking uncharted rocks and shoals, nothing sufficiently serious occurred to detain them for a longer period than a day or two. A list of the various casualties will be found attached.
Not forwarded to Colonial Office.