WHALEBONE is the horny laminated substance found in the mouth of the whale. It is not really whale-bone, but bears a nearer resemblance to horn iu its structure in commerce it is usually termed There are in the mouth of a whale two extensive rows, each consisting of upwards of 300 blades or plates; and each of these blades is a piece of whalebone. The blades are on all average about 10 feet long, but some attain a length. of 15 feet. The substance is naturally of a bluish or brownish-black ; but in some animals it is striped longitudi nally with white. Three principal kinds are known in commerce—the Greenland whalebone, from the North Atlantic and Icy Seas; the South Sea, or black fish ; and the North-West, from the North Pacific and Belning's Straits. [CETACEA, cols. 895-98, in NAT. MST. Div.] Some times as much as 5,000,000 lbs. have been imported in one year ; but the supply is generally from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 lbs. All the kinds of whalebone are nearly alike in constitution. It consists chiefly of albu men hardened by a small proportion of phosphate of lime. The surface of each blade is compact, and takes a high polish. The texture is lamellar or fibrous in the direction of its length, so that the substance easily splits and divides. The middle of each blade is of looser texture than the ends, presenting the appearance of coarse bristly hairs. When whalebone has been boiled, it takes a harder texture and deeper colour than before.
The peculiar structure of whalebone renders it applicable to many useful purposes. It is cut into quadrangular sticks for the ribs or stretchers of umbrellas and parasols, ranging in length from 20 to 40 inches. It is made into stay-bones, from to 11 inch in width, and from 12 to 16 inches long. It is cut into lengths of what is called bristle-bone, of different thicknesses, for making brushes and brooms, chimney-sweeping machines, and road-sweeping machines. It is used in thin strips for covering whip-handles, walking-sticks, teles copes, and other articles. In thinner shavings it is plaited like straw into light hats and bonnets ; while the waste shavings are employed by upholsterers as a stuffing for cushions, for filling fire-grates in summer, and for other purposes. Occasionally solid pieces of mixed tints are twisted into walking-sticks. And when all the useful frag meuts have been rendered available, the refuse sells as manure.
The nature of whalebone, something midway between born and hair, points to the mode in which it is worked. It cannot be I soldered or joined like tortoiseshell, but must be used in distinct pieces. When boiled in water for several hours, it becomes soft
enough to be cut up into pieces of various sizes and shapes. With out being heated and softened, it is easily cut into strips and fibres by means of a compound guarded knife. The different qualities in different parts of each blade are closely examined by the workmen, in order to apply each part to tho best use. Whalebone takes a I very good jet-black dye, but is not well fitted for dyeing in bright colours. It ie generally poliahNI by being scraped with n steel edge or a piece of glass, rubbed with emery-peper, and finally rublesl with a woollen cloth dipped in tripoli lewder; or by a polishing-wheel, SA In the case of horn or thrtoiseshelL Common horn, if steeped for several days in a solution of gelatine, and then in a liquid containing several ingredients, acquires properties which enable it to be urea for some purposes as a cheap substitute for whalebone.
NVHAIlF, a place constructed or set ape for the loading and unloading of goods. In this sense the word includes the quays of all sea-porta at which goods are required to be shipped or landed. The or natural ground on the banks of a river or canal, is net a wharf. Wharfs in docks and similar situations are made legal by special acts of parliament, as the London Docks, &c.; and there are some places which are deemed wharfs from immemorial usage, as at Chepstow. For the use of a wharf certain rates of compensation are usually charged, which are called wharfage ; and the act 22 Car. II., c. 11, allows any one to load or unload goods on paying wharfage at the rates appointed. The wharfs of the port of London were established in 155S, in the first year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Several sufferance wharfs have been since added to these, under the authority of the Commissioners of Customs, and other sufferance wharfs are me* sionally authorised for the landing and keeping of goods by the Custom-House till the duties are paid or the goods bonded.
No goods except diamonds and bullion, fresh fish of British taking, and turbots and lobsters fresh, however taken or imported, are allowed to be unshipped from any ship arriving from foreign parts beyond seas, or landed or put on shore, except at legal quays appointed by her Majesty for landing of goods, or at some wharf appointed by the Com missioners of Customs. Goods entitled to drawback or bounty are only to be shipped in Croat Britain by wharfingers appointed by the Commissioners of Customs.