PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TAC.O. 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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to the conclusion that it is practically impossible for the steam whalers already licensed to increase their catch of whales, and the policy of the Government has been revised in consequence. In the dependencies other than South Georgia the use of second floating factories is now permitted, conditions being imposed to secure adequate equipment for operating with a minimum of waste. These additional factories will be compelled to carry pressure boilers 10 feet long and 7 feet in diameter, or with an equivalent cubic capacity; but it has not been thought expedient to compel them to carry plant for making guano,
By the Regulations of July 28th, 1913 (coming into force on October 1st, 1914), licensees, if using not more than two steam-whalers, are required to carry on their floating factory or factories a total of not less than nine pressure boilers of the prescribed capacity; if a third whaler is used, twelve pressure boilers must be installed.
With regard to South Georgia, the Governor has been asked to endeavour, by the offer of temporary licences for the use of an extra floating factory, to induce those companies whose leases do not bind them to utilise the whole carcase to give, in return, an undertaking to erect shore stations for the purpose.
Extent of the Industry.
Statistical information is not very complete, but the latest figures obtainable are given in each case.
Number of leases and licences.—In addition to the eight leases granted for South Georgia, there are one lease and ten licences for the South Shetlands and Graham Land, five licences in the South Orkneys, and six licences in the South Sandwich Islands, making a total of thirty, four of which are held by British companies, one by an Argentine company, one by a Chilian company, and the rest by Norwegian com- panies. The six South Sandwich licences have not been renewed since the 1912-13 season. One British company holds a lease and a licence; one Norwegian company has a similar holding, and another holds two licences for different localities. The remainder are held by companies which are distinct, though in one or two cases only nominally so.
Number of vessels employed.-The figures are for the number to which the companies are at present entitled by their respective leases and licences. The full number of vessels authorised for the highly profitable whaling fields of South Georgia and the South Shetlands with Graham Land is always employed, but this is not invariably the case as regards the South Orkney and South Sandwich Islands.
Falkland Islands
South Georgia (in addition to land stations) South Shetlands and Graham Land
South Orkneys
South Sandwich Islands
Totals...
Floating factories.
Whalers.
0
5
9
21
15
32
6
10
0
0
30
66*
Catch and Products.
South Georgia-Tables showing the catch in this dependency during the years 1909-10 to 1911-12 are appended to this report. The kinds of whale caught during the last three years were as follows:-
Bottlenose. Right.
Sperm.
Blue.
Fio.
Humpback. Total.
1910-11
Nil
79
85
168
6,197
6,529
1911-12
Nil
82
298
516
5,635
6,535
1912-13 (October to
March).
1
212
1,724
2,251
4,197
222
According to the exporters' estimates, the value of the products was approxi- mately £520,000 in 1911-12, but it is believed that the actual value exceeded this
• Two whalers are licensed for both South Shetlands and Sonth Orkneys,
91
The total value of the catch for the season October, figure by about 10 per cent. 1912, to March, 1913, was approximately £453,830.
The figures given in the tables for the South Georgia Co. include those for the closely allied firm of Messrs. Salvesen and Co. These firms hold a lease each but work in cominon.
Other Dependencies.-The catch for 1911-12 yielded 156,770 barrels of oil, valued at £434,778; and 403 tons of whale-bone, valued at £13,760, making a total value of £448,538. Seventeen right, 963 blue, 1,805 fin, and 2,301 humpback whales were caught, making 5,086 whales, not counting three of the small bottlenose whales. No guano was produced.
The greater part of this catch, no doubt, came from the South Shetlands and Graham Land, but separate figures are not available. There are plenty of whales in the waters of the South Orkneys, but ice frequently prevents the group from being approached, and the only harbours known are of the nature of open roadsteads and unsafe in bad weather.
The figures for the season 1912-13 are as follows:-
Right. Blue.
Fin.
Hump Bottle-
Total.
Barrels of Oil.
back.
nose.
South Shetlands and
Grabarn Latul.
3
1,761 2,300
976
+
5,044
198,410
0
199
442
138
0
779
(Unspecified) 127
30,731
South Orkneys
The value of all products for South Shetlands and Graham Land was £608,556. There are no figures available for the South Orkneys.
Great difficulties attend whaling in the South Sandwich group.
It consists of
In
a chain of volcanic islands, in some of which the volcanoes are still active. many cases the constant emission of poisonous fumes makes it difficult to land, and 80 far as is known, it is impossible to maintain shore stations.
Laws and Regulations.
The whaling industry is regulated by two Ordinances, No. 5 of 1908, and No. 5 of 1912, and by separate regulations for South Georgia and the other dependencies, made under the former Ordinance.
There is an export duty of 3d. per barrel of 40 gallons levied upon whale oil exported from the Colony and its dependencies.
Specimens of the forms of licence and lease in use are annexed to this memo- randum. The two Ordinances and the latest regulations are included in the collection of whaling laws separately printed.*
Revenue.
The estimated revenue of the Falkland Islands Government for 1914, obtained from the whaling industry is :—
Export tax on whale oil Whaling leases and licences
Total...
£4,500
4,800
£9,300
This amounts to over one-third of the estimated total ordinary revenue for the year.
II. ST. VINCENT.
A small local whaling industry has long existed in St. Vincent. There is a Whalers' Ordinance, of 1905, which does not require whaling vessels to be licensed,
• See Appendix,
33202
M 2
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