other is poor, and one command a fair price and ready sale while the other is a drug. At such times the ability of transfer from one fishery to the other is a relief. When a man is tired of risking himself in one, he would generally prefer, rather than sacrifice his vessel-which may have been lately purchased or built at a cost of $1,000 to $1,800, with all her expensive appurtenances-to shift her into the other branch: from Cod to Mackerel or from Mackerel to Cod, as the case may be. To illustrate the advantages of this interchange among the three employments: it is often the case that in the spring of the year, the owner of a vessel advertises her for the coasting trade, and waits for a freightage, or a fair offer for charter, when, none appearing, rather than make a very small business in coasting, or it may be to avoid the sheer necessity of allowing his vessel to lie idle, he fits her out at the last moment for Labrador or Bay Cheleur.

In 1817, the tonnage employed in the Cod and Mackerel Fishery was about ten times as large as that in the Whale Fishery, the latter amounting to 4,874 41 registered tons, and 349 92 enrolled and licensed. The Whaling tonnage made pretty steady advance from that time, and continued nearly even with the aggregate Cod and Mackerel tonnage, from 1833 to about 1839. It has since been far ahead; in 1842, the Cod and Mackerel tonnage was about half of that in the Whale Fishery, two-thirds as much as in 1844, half as much, again, in 1845, and two-thirds its amount in 1848 and 1849.

CHAPTER V.

TABLES OF FISHING TONNAGE IN 1797, 1815, AND 1848, BY STATES AND IN THE DIFFERENT PORTS— LEADING FISHING PORTS-COMPARISON OF COASTING AND FISHING TONNAGE OF MASSACHUSETTSMACKEREL INSPECTED IN MASSACHUSETTS, 1849.

The following tables show the distribution of the Cod-Fishing business at the periods specified, among the several States engaged in it, and also the distribution of the Cod and Mackerel Fisheries among the ports of those States, in the year 1848.

1848. 84,230 08

648 65 30,710 01 724 46 1,038 48 285 02

1,722 11 33,069 80 6 17 1.749 73 409 68

33,406 62

36,957 59

FISHERIES

TABLE OF TONNAGE EMPLOYED IN THE MACKEREL AND COD

FERENT FORTS OF NEW ENGLAND, JUNE, 1848.

2,945 66 89,504 45

410 03 4,823 91

658 83

82,573 11

From the foregoing tables it will be seen that Massachusetts owns above one half of all the tonnage engaged in the Cod Fishery, and more than three-fourths of that in the Mackerel Fishery. The people of Maine, notwithstanding their advantageous situation and extensive facilities, have almost wholly neglected the latter branch. As the seaports of Maine, how

ever, become larger and wealthier, and especially if their profits in shipbuilding become reduced, it may be expected that Maine will vigorously contest the supremacy with Massachusetts in both fisheries.

The towns at present in the lead in the Cod Fishery are the following, ranking in the order named. Gloucester and Barnstable, in Massachusetts; Penobscot and Waldoboro', in Maine; Plymouth, Mass.; Wiscasset, Me.; Beverly, Mass.; Frenchman's Bay, and Bath, Me.; Newburyport, Mass.; Portland, Me.; and Marblehead, Mass.*

The towns leading in the Mackerel Fishery are, Barnstable, Gloucester, and Newburyport, Mass.; Portland, Me.; Salem, Mass.; and Penobscot, Maine.

Taking both fisheries in connection, the leading towns (that is, the chief fishing towns of the United States) are, Barnstable and Gloucester, Mass.; Penobscot, Me.; Newburyport, Mass.; Waldoboro', Wiscasset, and Portland, Me.; and Beverly, Mass.

Comparing the tonnage belonging to the State of Massachusetts engaged in the fisheries with that employed in the coasting trade, (setting Boston aside,) and we find the former considerably more important, as regards the amount, than the latter. As concerns the comparative results of the two, the fisheries are vastly more important, as they have this character in common with agriculture, and above the mass of what are considered productive arts, that they are actually productive, while bare Commerce is not so, as is the doctrine of Adam Smith, and as is clearly demonstrable, notwithstanding the theory of McCulloch, who, while professing to hold to the doctrines of Dr. Smith, endeavors to demonstrate the falsity of some of his soundest opinions this among the rest. Nothing is received in Commerce but must be paid for, and the augmented value of the thing received over that given, although the source of a profit to the merchant, adds nothing, in most cases, to the wealth of the nation into which it is imported. On the contrary, (if the article is consumed there,) it is an actual tax upon the consumers grounded upon their necessities.

The following table gives a comparison of the tonnage engaged in the Fisheries, from the ports of Massachusetts, with that in the coasting trade of

• A statement has been recently published concerning the fisheries of Marblehead, and the number of vessels each year for the last half century. The fisheries of Marblehead reached their highest point in 1801 and 1817, in which years nearly one hundred vessels were employed. From various causes, the business has been declining there for several years past. until now only about twenty vessels are employed. The inhabitants, driven from their ancient pursuits, have been obliged to turn their attention to other employments, such as shoemaking, &c. A remarkable contrast with this declension of business is seen at the town of Gloucester. This was for many years greatly distanced by Marblehead, but now the business is carried on to a greater extent in Gloucester than in all the rest of Essex County together. In 1830, Gloucester employed in her fisheries 60 small vessels and 500 men; last year she employed 200 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 14,000 tons, manned by 2,000 men and boys. Thirty-five vessels were added to the fleet last year; some of these to replace those that were sold. Seventeen packing establishments, with all the conveniences for pursuing the business, are conveniently located on various wharves in this splendid harbor; and such are the superior facilities and advantages here for the business, that vessels come to Gloucester to have their outfits furnished and fish packed from all parts of Maine, British Provinces, and other places.

One of the causes of this contrast between Gloucester and Marblehead is this-that Gloucester harbor is so much more convenient and capacious. The people of Marblehead have to haul up their vessels in Salem in winter, such is the exposed state of Marblehead harbor. The same reasons have partly caused Nantucket to decline most sensibly for the last ten years, while at the present time New Bedford, with great facilities for business, is progressing at an unprecedented rate.

Both Gloucester and Marblehead have sustained great losses for the last ten years on George's and the Grand Banks; but the per centage of loss has been far more at Marblehead.

Besides the extensive fisheries of Gloucester proper, as alluded to, the little coves and harbors round Cape Ann, such as Rockport, Pigeon Cove, Lane's Cove, Squam Point, employ many small vessels and boats in the shore and mackerel fisheries, and the aggregate of the district exceeds that of any other in the United States in this important business.

the same State, omitting Boston from both. Within each place named are embraced all the vessels belonging to one collection district.

The excess of fishing tonnage over that in the coast trade, in all the districts of Massachusetts but Boston, is thus seen to be 22,575 34-95ths tons. Including Boston-which has 51,404 30 coasting tonnage to 1,235 49 fishing--the excess in favor of the coast trade is no more than 27,593 42-95ths tons, in an aggregate of 192,494 91-95ths tons devoted between the two interests. The only districts in the State besides Boston in which the coastwise tonnage exceeds that of the fisheries, are, Salem, Fall River, New Bedford, and Nantucket. In the latter two districts, the tonnage in the Whale Fishery far exceeds that in the Coasting Trade. As seaport towns, Gloucester, Newburyport, Plymouth, and Beverly, derive nearly all their importance from their fisheries.

The amount of capital invested in the fisheries in Massachusetts, was, in 1840, $11,725,850; and the number of persons directly engaged in the prosecution of the fisheries was estimated, in round numbers, at 16,000.

As connected with the foregoing tables, we subjoin the annual return of of the Inspector-General of Massachusetts, stating the number of barrels of pickled fish inspected in that State, for the year 1849.

All these were Mackerel; the amount of all other pickled fish inspected was 6,639 barrels.

CHAPTER VI.

TABLES OF EXPORTS OF FISH FROM UNITED STATES FROM 1791 To 1849-EXPORT OF FISH FROM 1831 TO 1844, COMPARED WITH EXPORTS OF BEEF AND PORK AND COTTON PIECE GOODS-DOMESTIC PRODUCE EXPORT OF MASSACHUSETTS, ETC.

The following tables show the amount and value of Fish exported from the United States to foreign countries, in the several years indicated, from the year 1791 to the present time. The statistics are derived from the official reports of the Secretary of the Treasury. As the financial instead of the civil year is used in treasury statistics, each of the years named comprises a portion of two ordinary years.

The largest export of any one year, was in 1805, when the value of dried and smoked Fish exported was $2,058,000, and of pickled Fish $348,000, total $2,406,000. What is most noticeable in the above table is, the falling off for a few years past. The decrease in the export, between 1845 and 1849-50, being as will be seen, about 100 per cent. We shall allude more at length, hereafter, to the present depressed state of the Fishing interest, the principal occasion for which is this decline in the exports.

The following table gives a view of the total exports of Fish from the United States, from the year 1831 to 1844, compared with the exports for same period, of beef and pork, (including with these also, butter, cheese, lard, and bacon,) and cotton piece goods.