REVIEW OF THE WHALE FISHERY OF THE UNITED STATES, 66 FOR THE YEAR 1906. THE season in the Northern Oceans was very unsatisfactory, the catch being but twenty bowheads and one right whale. The imprisoned vessels caught in the ice in the Arctic during the summer of 1905 were all released, none of them having been lost. The steamer Alexander," ," of San Francisco, was subsequently lost off Cape Terry in the fog, having captured two bowheads, the yield of which was not saved. The result of the season was rather discouraging for those interested, and in consequence two New Bedford and two San Francisco vessels have been withdrawn, and the fleet for the season of 1907 will be smaller than ever, comprising but nine steamers, two barks and two schooners. The schooner "Era," bound from this port (New Bedford) for Hudson Bay, was totally lost at St. Pierre, Miquelon Island, when about one week out, all of the officers and crew being saved. The fleet of Atlantic whalers was quite successful, being comprised of nineteen vessels, the aggregate catch being 12,475 barrels sperm oil, 1,775 barrels whale oil, and 18,700 pounds of whalebone. The high price of whalebone is a great incentive for masters to take the right whale seasons, giving up the continued pursuit of sperm whale the year round, as for some years past. The brig Daisy returned from Desolation Island with a fine cargo of 2,450 barrels sea elephant oil, which was very satisfactory to her owners. The tonnage engaged in the fishery was reduced during the year 1,403 tons, being now 8,475 tons January 1st, 1907, against 9,878 tons January 1st, 1906, the number of vessels employed being thirty-six, against forty-two one year ago. Sperm Oil.-The year opened at fifty cents, and in March sales were made at fifty-one cents, and in April at fifty-three cents, the highest price reached during the year. In June the price dropped to fifty cents, at which it remained for the following four months, when fifty-two cents was paid, at which it remained at the close of the year, with but a small stock in first hands, which was held at a much higher price. Whale Oil.-In May the brig Daisy's cargo of sea elephant, about 2,400 barrels, was purchased for refining, the price being reported at thirty-three and one-half cents. No further sales were made until October, when the same price was paid for a small quantity. The oil imported at San Francisco was disposed of there. for home use at prices we were unable to learn. Whalebone. The year opened with prices for Arctic ranging in January, as follows: $5.25, $5.00, $4.75 and $5.00; in February, $5.00, $4.75, $5.25 and $5.00; in March and May, $5.00, $.75 and $4.60; in June, July and August, $5.00 and $4.60; in September, $4.90 and $5.00; in October, $5.00; in November, $4.75, and in December, $5.00. The prices for South Sea ruled at $3.50 to $4.00; and for northwest, $4.00 to $4.50. IMPORTS OF SPERM OIL, WHALE OIL AND WHALEBONE INTO THE UNITED STATES DURING THE YEAR 1906. STATEMENT OF STOCKS OF OIL AND WHALEBONE IN THE UNITED STATES, AVERAGE PRICE OF SPERM OIL, WHALE OIL AND WHALEBONE FOR THE STATEMENT OF THE NUMBER OF VESSELS EMPLOYED IN THE WHALE FISHERY OF THE UNITED STATES, JANUARY 1, 1907. REVIEW OF THE COTTON CROP OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR THE YEAR 1906. THE Cotton crop of the United States for the year ending September 1, 1906, reached the total of 11,319,860 bales, while the exports were 6,716,351 bales and the spinners' takings were 4,852,352 bales, leaving a stock on hand at the close of the year of 198,178 bales. The whole movement for the twelve months is given in the following pages, with such suggestions and explanations as the peculiar features of the year appear to require. The first table indicates the stock at each port September 1, 1906, the receipts at the ports for each of the past two years, and the export movement for the past year (1905-1906) in detail, and the totals for 1904– 1905 and 1903-1904 : The foregoing shows that the total receipts at the Atlantic and Gulf shipping ports this year have been 7,935,863 bales, against 10,119,220 bales last year and 7,235,568 bales in 1903-1904; and that the exports have been 6,716,351 bales, against 8,877,400 bales last season and 6,134,132 bales the previous season, Great Britain getting out of this crop 2,902 846 bales. If now we add the shipments from Tennessee and elsewhere direct to manufao * These figures are only the portion of the receipts at these ports which arrived by rail overland from Tennessee, &c. + Shipments by rail to Canada. turers, and Southern consumption, we have the following as the crop statement for the three years: The result of these figures is a total crop of 11,319, 860 bales (weighing 5,788,628,083 pounds) for the year ending August 31, 1906, against a crop of 13,556,841 bales (weighing 6,996,731,233 pounds) for the year ending August 31st, 1905. Northern and Southern spinners' takings in 1905-1906 were as follows: Total crop of the United States, as before stated.. At Northern ports.. 144,639 At Southern ports.. 177,953 At Northern interior markets.... 322,592 332,030 11,651,890 Total supply during the year ending Sept. 1, 1906... Exported to foreign ports during the year. *6,601,479 Less foreign cotton imported and Ameri can cotton returned..... ...bales, +134,637 6,466,842 Total takings by spinners in the United States for the year ending September 1, 1906 4,852,352 Taken by Southern spinners (included in above total). 2,398,404 Total taken by Northern spinners... 2,453,948 These figures show that the total takings by spinners North and South during 1905-1906 have reached 4,852,352 bales of which the Northern mills have taken 2,458,948 bales and the Southern mills 2,398,404 bales. *Not including Canada by rail. + Includes 1,389 bales of American cotton returned and 100,896 bales foreign, mainly Egyptian, equaling 133,248 bales of American weights. Burnt includes not only what has been thus destroyed at the Northern and Southern outports, but also all burnt on Northern railroads and in Northern factories. Distribution of the above three orops has been as follows: In the above are given the takings for consumption. The actual consumption for the same two years has been: Consumption. The activity which was such a noteworthy feature in the cotton manufacturing industry during most of the year 1904-1905 has continued with virtually no interruption throughout the season just closed. Moreover, no such trouble with labor has occurred this year as fully stopped or seriously checked the operation of the mills at Fall River for a considerable portion of the previous season. Consequently, with productive capacity unhampered, with new mills starting up in Southern localities and a full demand for the output of spindles and looms, consumption of the raw material has progressed to an extent greater than ever before in the United States. And this has been the case despite a gradual though steady movement in the direction of running on * Addition. + Takings and consumption include 1,389 bales American cotton returned and 133,248 bales foreign cotton, (Egyptian, Peruvian, &c.,) in 1905-1906, and 124,465 bales foreign and returned American cotton in 1904-1905. |