Moreover, these whales will yield vast quantities of meat, leather and bone meal which will all be brought home to Japan. In the present emergency, when Japan is rigidly excluding' all imports not absolutely necessary for the national existence or prosecution of the war in China, these products will quickly go into consumption as substitutes for beef and oxhides, large quantities of which have hitherto been imported, and for imported fertilizers, respectively. In this way they will make a considerable contribution to the present economic system.
Both beef and leather go into military requirements. The import of both is prohibited, so the quantities available for general consumption have greatly decreased and the public use of leather is strictly restricted. The use of leather from ox and other hides for making shoes, travelling cases, sporting goods, and most other categories* is prohibited. The prices of both beef and ox and other hides have considerably advanced.
So when Japan's whaling fleet returns, there will be great demand for the meat and whale-leather. There has been much propaganda already for the use of the meat, and a variety of ways of turning it into tasty dishes has been studied. Also much progress has been made in the use of whale-leather for shoes and many other articles, which have been shown in public exhibitions.
The whales, being caught in the open sea, though not far from Australia and New Zealand's back doors, are free for the taking, and so cost mothing except the cost of the ships and their upkeep. Thus, with the latter exceptions, the revenue from the oil and other products is all nett profit and particularly acceptable to Japan in her present situation.
Ships Never Idle Another point worth noting is that these big factory ships are not left idle in the whaling off-season, but are used {o transport petroleum, in loads of 20000 tons a voyage, to Japan. The vessels, with their tanks filled with whale oil at the end of the season, proc&ed to Europe to discharge it, usually at London or Amsterdam. They then proceed to California or other producing districts, All up with petroleum and bring it back to Japan for discharge at Yokosuka or other naval ports. They are &ble to make further voyages to get petroleum before departing again in October for the Antarctic. For this round the middle of December The latter comprise, according te reports received in Tokyo, ten Norwegian, nine British, seven German. one American and one Panama vessels.
While Japan's present feet of whalers numbers six. it will not stop at that. Though temporarily held up by the existing emergency period, and high cost of shipbuilding, the fleet will be added to until it numbers at least ten vessels,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.