PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
11
South Atlantic Whaling Company :-
One steamer of 7,000 tons," Speranzo."
Three steam whalers, 46 tons, 450 horse-power, 12 knots.
About 700 whales killed.
Produce of oil about 19,000 barrels.
50 per cent. of carcases thrown away.
They have erected a steam factory on shore for making oil from the meat
and guano from the remains.
Alonso Company :—-
One large sailing barque, "Alonso.”*
Two steam whalers (old).
500 whales killed.
Only the blubber, head, and lat were used.
All the carcases thrown away.
Mossamedes (Angola).--One Portuguese company at Praia Amelia
One large sailing barque, two or three steam whalers. About 450 whales killed.
More than half the carcases thrown away.
Have erected a factory on shore.
Port Alexander (Angola).-—One English and one Norwegian company. South Whaling und Sealing Company of North Shields:
One steamer, s.s." Restitution
300 whales killed.
Product of oil, 10,000 barrels.
No carcase thrown away.
and three steam whalers.
This Company only worked half the season.
They have been granted a one year's concession by the Portuguese Govern- ment, but are applying through the British Government for a seven years' concession, and intend to erect a new and up-to-date factory on shore.
Viking Company (Norwegian):-
33
One steamer s.s. "Ambra and three steam whalers.
500 whales killed.
Product of oil, 17,000 barrels.
50 per cent. of carcases thrown away.
Have erected a factory on shore, but not a very efficient one.
(ireat Fish Bay (Angola).—Two Norwegian companies.
Haugesunds Whaling Company:
One steamer." Augvald," and three steam whalers.
600 whales killed.
Produce of oil, 14,000 barrels.
All carcases thrown away.
Are building a factory on shore.
Kastor Whaling Company, of Tõusberg :-
One steamer, Benguela," and three steam whalers.
About 600 whales killed.
All carcases thrown away.
It will be seen from the following table that in one year the sum of £157,500 has been ruthlessly thrown away. This is chiefly due to the feverish competition between the different companies to obtain the greatest number of whales, and their not having, therefore, time to use all the products; also some of the companies have not had the plant for making guano :—
Cape Lopez
Place.
Killed.
Sumber thrown away.
Value.
£
600
600
30,000
Elephant Bay
1,200
850
42,500
Mossamedes
150
250
12,500
Port Alexander
800
250
12,500
Great Fish Bay
1,200
1,200
60,000
Total
4,250
3,150
157,500
45
All the companies (except the English company at Port Alexander, whose con- cession has been applied for) have obtained concessions for seven years from the Portuguese Government, for which they pay nothing. They pay seven per cent. on the official value of the oil obtained, which is 60 reis a kilo.
At Port Alexander and Great Fish Bay there is a tax of reis 300,000 (£60) for cach factory on shore, reis 150,000 (£30) for each floating factory, and reis 2,000 (8s.) for each whale killed.
The chief difficulties that have been experienced have been in obtaining water. At Cape Lopez, Port Alexander and Great. Fish Bay, wells had to be sunk on shore and the water taken off in boats. At Elephant. Bay the water was brought from Equimina Bay by motor boats, and at Mossamedes it was conveyed in lighters from the town.
The stations at Elephant Bay suffered greatly from dysentery; at one time 40 per cent. of the men were down with the disease, and there were two deaths.
The Portuguese Official Order is that all carcases not used are to be stranded on a beach determined by the Chief of the Port concerned. They are supposed to
be secured by a wire rope to an iron stake driven into the shore. As a matter of fact, this is seldom done, on account of the time which would be involved, the result being that the carcases get drifted out by the land breezes and cast up all along the coast, often causing great inconvenience to the inhabitants.
It was calculated that last year (1911) about 14,000 whales passed up the coast, of which about 4,000 were killed. This year (1912) there have been about 12,000, of which about 4,250 have been killed.
As there are to be extra concessions granted next year, and many of the existing companies will have extra steam whalers and improved plant, probably a far greater number still will be killed.
It is calculated that at this rate of wholesale butchery in six years' time practi- cally all the whales on this coast will have been exterminated.
This fact, together with the wilful waste which takes place, I submit to be a serious consideration, about which something should be done immediately.
Suggestions which have been given me as a possible remedy to this state of affairs are as follows:-
(1) That orders should be given that all carcases must be used entirely, and
none thrown away.
(2) That no extra concessions be granted for the present;
(3) That whales should not be allowed to be killed on their way north, as they
are then going to breed, and that on the southward run only bulls may- be killed and cows without calves. (Many calves have been killed and not used at all.)
(4) That after a run of a few years all whaling should be stopped altogether
for at least two years.
+4
ILMS. Dwarf,'
>
St. Paul de Loanda.
1st December, 1912.
F. E. K. STRONG,
Lieutenant and Commander, Senior Naval Officer.
West Coast of Africa.
Note.--Since writing this report I have been informed that His Excellency the Governor-General of Angola is contemplating issuing an order that no whaling shall be carried on within three miles from the coast.
I do not know whether this order will refer to those companies that have already obtained concessions and have established factories on shore; but I do not consider it possible that much business could be carried on by a floating factory if she had to remain outside the three mile limit, on account of the great depth of water, which would prevent her from anchoring, and also from the incessant swell in these
waters.
It would also be necessary for the small steam whalers to go into harbour at night for rest and to effect repairs.
Should this order be issued it would no doubt reduce the number of whales
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