CO885-(21-23) — Page 264

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

MIC.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC: COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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licence, and is entitled to receive such a licence during the continuance of its contract for an inter-insular mail service, five years from 1910.

The Governor has been asked to report the exact number of vessels operating under licences, but in the meantime the figures can be given approximately as 19 These figures, of course, do not floating factories and some 50 whaling steamers. include steamers employed merely in the exporting of products and importing of

stores.

In the season 1910-11, 3,000 whales were caught from the South Shetlands and Graham's Land. The catch at the other places concerned, namely the Falkland Islands themselves and the South Sandwich and South Orkney Islands, has not been reported, but is probably considerably less.

It may be added that a large proportion of the companies operating are Nor- wegian, and that, owing to the special skill in the industry possessed by Norwegians, the British companies operating find it necessary to employ considerable numbers of men of that nationality.

6. Mr. Harcourt is not at present in possession of any detailed information regarding the whaling which takes place from the self-governing Dominions, but some whaling is no doubt carried on from all of them, and there is a considerable whaling industry in South Africa, with bases at Durban and Walfisch Bay.

7. In regard to the general question of the protection of whales, Mr. Harcourt has had before him the above particulars as to the whaling industry in the Falklands and their dependencies, the experts' recommendations contained in Protocol No. 11 of the International Fur Seal Conference, 1911, which were enclosed in your letter under reply, and a letter* from the British Museum, of which a copy is now enclosed, and in which it is urged that there is grave danger of the repetition in southern waters of a process of extermination which has proved effectual in other localities, and that it is desirable that the matter should be dealt with by means of a general international agreement.

8. Mr. Harcourt has much sympathy with the object of this proposal, and, with a view to limit the pursuit of whales in the Falkland Islands and their dependencies without the delay inseparable from international action, he has decided that no more leases or licences, other than ordinary renewals of annual licences, shall be issued for these waters, and has instructed the Governor to give effect to this decision. At the same time he desires to call attention to the magnitude of the vested interests of the whaling companies operating in the Falkland Islands and their dependencies. The existence of these vested interests and the possibility of heavy claims for compensa- tion in connexion with them render it necessary for His Majesty's Government to consider very carefully the bearing of any restrictive measures on the existing engagements of the Colonial Government before committing themselves to any par- ticular solution of the question.

9. The proposals made by the experts attached to the Fur Seal Conference were for the prohibition of the use of floating factories and the prohibition of the hunting of particular species. The British Museum appear to contemplate the latter measure, and also desire that steps should be taken to collect information regarding the whales caught, with a view to increasing present knowledge of the natural history of the whale and in particular to settling the important question whether the schools of humpback found off South Georgia have anything to do with those found in South African waters. It is also a matter for consideration whether it is not desirable to seek to limit by international agreement the number of vessels permitted to engage in the industry, and more particularly the number permitted actually to kill whales, by means of a system of licences similar to those now in force in the Falk- land Islands and elsewhere.

10. The objection to the use of floating factories is no doubt based on the waste which their use has involved. Most of such factories are equipped only with open vats to deal with the blubber of the whale, the flesh and bones being thrown away. But floating factories which are fitted with pressure boilers or digesters to deal with the flesh are now becoming common, and it appears that experiments are in progress with a view to adapting floating factories also for the conversion of the bones into guano.

The floating factory affords the only means of carrying on the whaling industry in districts where the erection of a shore factory is impracticable owing to the nature

• No. 1.

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of the land or the climate, or is not commercially justified by the supply of whales in the neighbourhood. There are also, as has been mentioned, numerous firms who have the right to employ a floating factory for a term of years.

For both of these reasons, the total immediate prohibition of floating factories is impracticable; but it would be possible, as opportunities occur on the expiration of licences or leases, both to reduce their numbers and to subject them to regulations intended to minimise waste.

11. With regard to the prohibition of the hunting of particular species, an example may be found in Section 3 (5) of the Whale Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1907, which prohibits the killing of herring-hog whales. But under the conditions which prevail in some of the Colonies there are serious difficulties in the way of enforcing such a prohibition. Certain firms have already been granted whaling rights for a term of years free from any stipulation as to the kind of whales caught. Apart from these firms, the prohibition could not be enforced without stationing a Government representative at every land factory and on every floating factory, and the cost of this would, in many cases, exceed the licence fee and would, therefore, involve a considerable increase of this fee.

12. Mr. Harcourt's attention has also been drawn to the general provisions of the Whale Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1907, and the Whale Fisheries (Ireland) Act, 1908. These Acts appear to deal with a whaling industry carried on with shore factories only. They provide for the issue of licences limiting the number of whaling steamers that may be employed, and amongst their other provisions those prohibiting the capture of whales otherwise than with a harpoon with line attached, and establishing a close season, should be particularly noticed.

13. Mr. Harcourt is not at present prepared to commit himself to any definite view as to the lines upon which it may be best to proceed; but he is inclined to think that the most promising proposal is to endeavour to secure by international agree- ment the limitation of the number of the vessels which may be employed to hunt or take whales and the regulation of the disposal of the products with a view to minimising waste.

14. If Sir Edward Grey concurs generally as to the desirability of inter- national action, Mr. Harcourt would suggest that a small committee should be formed to formulate more definite proposals, that the Foreign Office, the Scotch and Irish Offices, the Colonial Office, and the British Museum should be represented upon it, and that it should take the advice of persons experienced in the whaling industry.

15. Before steps could be taken to call an International Conference it would he necessary to secure the co-operation of the self-governing Dominions, and, in the meantime. Mr. Harcourt would suggest that a copy of the correspondence should be sent to them and that they should be invited to assist by refraining from granting any further whaling facilities except under licence for a short period.

16. The co-operation of the Norwegian Government and of the South American Governments would also ultimately be of much importance, if not absolutely essential.

13497

SIR,

No. 3.

I am, &c..

H. W. JUST.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received May 3, 1912.)

[Auswered by Na. 5.]

Foreign Office, 2nd May, 1912. I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to state that he has had under careful consideration your letter 1521 of the 20th ultimo,* respecting the preservation of

Sir E. Grey is, of course, in favour of doing all that can be done to preserve

whales.

• No. 2.

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