The World's Columbian exposition, Chicago, 1893 . del and otherwise of that remarkablewhale fishery which, in recent years, has developed along thenorthern coast of Norway bordering the Arctic ocean. Thisindustry Is due to the energy, daring and enterprise of CaptainSvend Foyn, who conceived the idea of capturing the finback whalewith a bomb harpoon, a device which alone makes possible thesuccessful pursuit of this species. To-day Norway employs a fleetof iron screw steamers in this fishery, ranging In size from thirtyto seventy tons. These steamers have a crows nest at themasthead. It belnof
The World's Columbian exposition, Chicago, 1893 . del and otherwise of that remarkablewhale fishery which, in recent years, has developed along thenorthern coast of Norway bordering the Arctic ocean. Thisindustry Is due to the energy, daring and enterprise of CaptainSvend Foyn, who conceived the idea of capturing the finback whalewith a bomb harpoon, a device which alone makes possible thesuccessful pursuit of this species. To-day Norway employs a fleetof iron screw steamers in this fishery, ranging In size from thirtyto seventy tons. These steamers have a crows nest at themasthead. It belnof a cask so fitted as to afford shelter for the manwho is on the lookout for whales. At the bow and a little abaft ofthe stem is a mounted gun from which is shot the harpoon thatfastens the whale, and carries vv^ith It the explosive to destroy theanimal. Forward of the gun, at the extreme bow. Is an ironbridge, which Is so arranged on hinges that It can be turned downin a horizontal or elevated to a vertical position. This bridge is !2!o•-t I pa. 232 FISHERIES. six feet long fore and aft, and nine feet wide. When a steamer Ischasing whales, the bridge is turned down, and about twentyfathoms of whale warp is coiled on it in front of the gun, thisamount generally being required* to reach the whale when theharpoon is shot into it. A steamer usually carries about 300fathoms of whale warp, which is of the best Russia hemp; and,ordinarily, this is coiled in the hold. A whale will not always bekilled at the first shot, and it sometimes happens that nearly thewhole of this warp is run out. At such times the steamer isdriven at her full speed—nine to eleven knots—in order that shemay keep up with the fish as nearly as possible, and also toafford an opportunity to shoot other harpoons into the a whale has been killed the warp is taken around the steamcapstan, and hove in until the fish is raised to the bow of thevessel. A heavy chain strap is then passed around the whalest
Size: 1367px × 1827px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectworldscolumbianexpos
