Freeman's Chronicle

From the London Pilot of Dec. 12.

SOUTH-SEA WHALE FISHERY.

The readers of the Pilot will recollect, that when information was received several months since, of the departure of the American frigate Essex, from the coasts of Brazil for the South Sea, and subsequently to her arrival at Valparaiso, on the coast of Chile, the Pilot suggested the probability, that this cruise was a branch of a grand scheme formed in America. for the capture or destruction of the whole of our oil trade; Commodore Rodgers being sent for the purpose towards Greenland, while the other department was assigned to captain Porter. It is now quite clear, that our idea was correct, and though Rodgers did not succeed in his part of the plan, the general ability of the design and arrangements cannot be questioned; for it was our good luck that preserved us on the northern side, from the same fate to which want of due precaution betrayed and delivered us upon the southern side. Surely those whose business it is to look to those matters, and to provide for the public safety, in this department, might have foreseen, at least as well as we did. that the capture of these whalers must inevitably be the object of captain Porter's visit to the South Sea-and yet we do not find that any means whatsoever were taken to prevent his success. A single frigate would have been sufficient for this purpose then; now we must send a squadron-for Capt. Porter having armed and manned no less than three of the captured whalers, has now a squadron under his orders; and collecting probably to his aid all the sea-faring desperadoes of the revolutionized Spanish settlements on the coast of Chili and Peru. will shortly form the basis of a buccaneering system more dangerous to our East India trade, than that of the West Indies formerly was to all peaceable and industrious settlements in that quarter. We are not fond of casting blame; but surely it would have been easier to send a frigate in pursuit of the Essex, or to protect our trade from five months since, than to send a squadron now, after the most valuable of our property have fallen into the enemy's hands. The cargoes of these ships may be considered a necessary of life. We cannot light our streets without it, and a scarcity already exists in consequence of the failure of the fishery in the Greenland seas and the capture of some of our vessels.
From the Courier.

It is, we understand upon enquiry, true, that an application was made to the admiralty by the merchants concerned in the trade alluded to, for a certain proportion of force in that quarter; it is also we believe, true, that the admiralty promised to send the amount of force required; but what is equally true, is, that within a few days after the publication was made the force required was prepared, and did actually sail from England on its destination as soon as the wind and weather permitted. We do not deny that losses have been suffered by the South Sea whalers' we do not say that an American frigate may not push to some parts of those extensive tracts of sea, and surprise the scattered ships of a fishery that is carried on by a small number of ships from the Coast of Chili to the Moluccas. but we are authorized to deny what makes the gravamen of the charge, that the admiralty did not perform the promise it had made to the merchants