Modern Whaling Weapon.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2624, 26 October 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

Modern Whaling Weapon.

The whaling steamers of a well known Norwegian whale fisher are short, about 60 feet in length, but comparatively broad. Thoy are propelled by screws, attain a speed of from eight to nine knots an hour and turn with great rapidity. In tho stem stands the gun for throwing the harpoon. This gun is in reality only a long iron tube, resting on a fixed platform. . In this tubo tho harpoon is inserted after loading with powder. Tho harpoon is about 4 feet in length. The end of it which touches the charge consists of a solid iron cylinder, fitting exactly in tha tubo. Then comes a portion, 3 feet long, consisting of two flat ribs of iron, with an opening in the middle liko tho eye of a necdlo. In this eye runs a movable

iron ring, to which the rope of tho harpoon is attached. At tho top of the eye aro fixed four projecting hooks, tied down with a string. When tho harpoon enters tho ribs of tho whale, these hooks spring into position by the tightening of the rop*, and tho harpoon thus becomes imbedded m tho animal. Tho further contrivances of this remarkable weapon are that at the point whero tho hooks aro fixed tho two. iron ribs run into a small, hollow iron rod, and in this a glass tube with nitroglycerin is inserted, and as the hooks spring into position, this tubo is smashed and the grenade in tho'harpoon exploded. The iron rod finishes in a triangular point, so that it may penetrate tho flesh more easily. .When tho wounded whalo pulls, the ropo runs out to its end, which is, of course, well secured, and when killed tho ropo and the whalo are hauled in by a steam winch.