Daily National Intelligencer

WASHINGTON

Saturday, August 5.

We are glad to find, though our foreign commerce is on the wane for us, as for the rest of the world, our navigation—by which we mean employment for our hardy seamen—is not likely to suffer so materially from that cause, as we had apprehended. The Fisheries, it appears by the following article, are so extensively cultivated, as to supply, in a great degree, the diminution of employment for our mercantile marine:

FROM THE NEW YORK COLUMBIAN.

Whaling Ships of Sag Harbor.—We have obtained the following list of the whaling ships of Sag Harbor, a little port at the east end of Long Island, which is altogether indebted to this business for its support. The ships are all owned at that place, except three, which are partly owned in this city.

Ship Marcus, captain Halsey, owned by Messrs. Howells now round Cape Horn.

Ship Julius Caesar, Fowler, owned by Messrs. Havens, fitting for Cape Horn.

Ship Thomas Nelson, Gardiner, owned by C. Sleight and Company, now on the Coast of Patagonia.

Ship Hannibal, Post, owned by Messrs. Huntings, brought in 1780 barrels oil, and sailed again for Coast of Patagonia.

Ship Octavia, Smith, owned by Mess. Huntings, brought in 1800 barrels oil, and sailed again for the Coast of Patagonia.

Ship Union, Osborne, owned by C. Dering and Co. just arrived with 920 barrels right whale, and 221 do. sperm oil.

The ship Fair Helen, Coffin, owned by C. Sleight and Co. lately arrived with 800 barrels right whale oil, and 240 sperm.

Ship Abigail, Raynor, owned by Messrs. Hunting, just arrived with 1200 barrels right whale oil. and 70 sperm.

Ship Argonaut, Sayre, owned by Messrs. Howell, lately arrived with 1450 barrels right whale.

Ship Andes, owned by Messrs. Howell, fitting for coast of Patagonia.

These whaling voyages are peculiarly healthy and profitable. Not a man has been lost by sickness or otherwise, from any of these ships, during the past season. The vessels rarely put into any port, and the whole avails of a year's voyage are thus husbanded for some substantial purpose.

As an excellent nursery for seamen, and as an enterprizing business by which wealth is drawn from the bowels of the ocean, it deserves, in a particular manner, the countenance and favor of government.

It is a fact, that, during the present summer, more than two hundred sail of fishing vessels have been actively and successfully engaged in catching fish off the Capes of Delaware. Those vessels, however, do not belong to the immediate neighborhood; they belong to the coast north of Long Island; some of them from Maine.

A nation which appears to entertain an inordinate passion for naval power, has here a nursery for seamen, and a source of wealth preferable to the mines of Potosi—but the policy of the government is—let them alone.]—AURORA.

And what policy can be wiser?