French flag. 4,838 voyages were performed under foreign flags; this is 27 to 73 per cent. The average of five years is 30 against 70 per cent, and the proportion in 1849, 32 to 68 per cent.

With the exception of Belgium, Hanover, and Denmark, in the maritime intercourse with European countries, the share of the French flag was less in 1850 than in 1849. In the English trade only 29 per cent of the tonnage employed belonged to the French flag, against 35 per cent in 1849; in the Spanish, 35 per cent, against 38; in the Tuscan, Roman and Sicilian, 38 per cent only, against 50 per cent; lastly, in the Turkish trade, 76 against 78 per cent.

Of countries out of Europe, the United States of America, Brazil, the Spanish American possessions, the Barbary States, and Egypt have had the most active maritime intercourse with France, as regards tonnage and the relative share of the French flag. The proportions between 1850 and 1849 are as follows:-trade with the United States, (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans together,) 10 against 13 per cent; Brazil, 84 against 89. Of the trade with the Spanish possessions, only 75 per cent, in place of 65, fell to the French flag; and in that with the Barbary States, 93 against 89 per cent. In the Egyptian trade, French tonnage fell from 92 to 90 per cent.

The following table exhibits, in the order of importance, the twelve powers with which France carried on the most active maritime intercourse in 1850, and the proportion for each of the French flag:

It will be perceived that, with the exception of Sardinia and the Spanish Antilles, the year 1849 was more favorable to the French flag.

Art. II. THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

CHAPTER VII.

OUR MAKRETS-THE WEST INDIES-HISTORY OF EXPORT TO &C.-DO. OF EUROPE-DO. OF SOUTH AMERICA-TABLE OF EXPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL MARKETS, 1789 to 1850.

THE West Indies have always furnished the principal market for the fish of the United States: without the West Indian consumption, indeed, our fisheries would have been insignificant, at nearly all times, in point of commercial value, and would have been considered no further important than as a source of support to a very small class of our population. The situation of these islands, the nature of the pursuits followed by their population, the desirableness of an extended trade with them, and the peculiar adaptation of fish as an article of food for the laborers in tropical climates, all have aided to sustain the West Indies in the relation of our great consumer.

It would be naturally expected that a community like the West Indies would not be a steady and uniform customer. Of the several means by which Commerce is supported, that which rests directly upon the product of

the earth is most precarious; and a people nearly exclusively devoted to rural pursuits, would, therefore, be little likely to maintain a constant and regular trade. The fact, as applied to the general Commerce of these islands, is sufficiently evident in their commercial history. In conjunction with this circumstance, the West Indian market has been, as well directly as indirectly, disturbed by those wars which have periodically broken out in Europe and extended to the new world. Frequent changes of possessorship, and with them as frequent changes of policy, have been the result of these wars, or have occurred in time of peace. Yet all these unfavoring circumstances, considerable as they appear, have exerted but a limited effect upon that market as regards the article in question, and the West Indies have really been the steadiest, the most regular, as well as the largest of our customers. This fact evinces the healthy nature of the trade, and shows that it is founded on deep and mutual wants. The exports of the West Indies, although for the greater part ordinarily designated luxuries, have become to us, and are to all civilized communities, articles of real and prime necessity, and among the articles which we exchange for them, fish is one of real necessity in the West Indies. The export thither was lowest during the late war with England, when our fishermen were driven from their old grounds; but the real diminution was neither so great nor so sudden as has occurred on two occasions since. By referring to the table following, it will be seen how steady was this export from 1789 (when the first regular record of the statistics begun) down to about 1835. A very large diminution, above 40 per cent, occurred between 1835 and 1840, which was nearly recovered five years later; but a much larger diminution, above 50 per cent, or from $810,557 to $372,886, occurred between 1845 and 1850. The cause of this last diminution was owing somewhat to the state of the islands, the increase of obstacles by the growing tyranny in the Spanish part of them, the decaying prosperity of St. Domingo, and some others. But a more efficient cause still, was the growing competition of the British American fishermen, who have become within a few years formidable rivals to our own, not only abroad, but in our own ports, and the diminution from this and other e uses of our yearly catch.

While the general state of the West Indian market has been so regular, there have been many internal or local changes, and these of a very material character. This variation, indeed, has been constantly going on. Some of the local markets, standing in leading importance, have declined, some gradually, others all at once; others, meanwhile, have in like manner arisen, and others, of a long known and accurate measurement have assumed a greatly enlarged capacity. With the frequent changes of possessorship, before alluded to, it is impossible to classify the markets according to their importance, in a scale ranged by the several colonial dependencies. Those who are acquainted with these changes will obtain a proximate idea of the importance of the several islands or groups as fish markets, by connecting it with the statement we are about to present.

In 1789-90, the French islands took nearly the whole export to the West Indies, viz., $518,288 out of $574,397 of dried and smoked, and $90,818 out of $110,604 of pickled fish. Though nothing like this rate was maintained, their consumption stood at a good figure, from 1800 to 1825, being most of this time much ahead of that of any other class of the islands. From 1825 it constantly and rapidly decreased, and is at present of the value of no more than a few thousand dollars. The

Dutch islands are still respectable customers, though their consumption is less than half what it was formerly. The Danish islands became important markets about 1820, and attained their maximum about 1830, since which they have been very fluctuating, but fast declining, on the whole. The British West Indies were considerable customers about ten years from 1800, but have been of consequence at no other time. The island of Cuba came rapidly forward after the close of the war of 1815, progressing at a rate that promised well to repair the loss of markets elsewhere. Between 1820 and 1825 she increased her imports of our American fish, $36,109, equivalent to 30 per cent; from 1825 to 1830 the increase was $58,954, or above 35 per cent; between 1830 and 1835 it was $98,102, or 46 per cent. The consumption of Cuba has since been very fluctuating, rising above the highest of these periods, and sinking again in 1850 to one-third the amount of the fifth year previous. Hayti arose at the same time with Cuba, and maintained a larger market until near 1835, when it suffered like variations with the Cuban market, with which it may now be placed on a fair average. Were the governments of these two islands of a better kind, or at least better administered, and were the social condition of Hayti, especially, better, they would quickly offer a much enlarged capacity.

Europe furnished us very desirable markets at the outset. In 1789-90, she took between one-third and one-half as much as the West Indies. Nearly four fifths of this was taken by Spain, and about half of the whole European export thereafter, until the continental difficulties and the general war cut off nearly the whole trade, after which time it only gained a partial and brief revival, and soon became nearly extinguished. France, by the necessities of her condition, became suddenly a large customer about 1800; but with a change of circumstances, as suddenly ceased to be one. From the patron, France became the oppressor of our fishermen, by the enforcement of those remarkable and unjust views regarding the rights and obligations of neutrals. Portugal and Madeira were respectable customers in 1789, but soon declined, until, in 1821, Portugal took nothing, and her tolony but a trifle. Italy was a fair customer, considering the state of Italy, in the beginning of the century, and continued so to about 1820, soon after which her market became extil ct; about the same time the whole European export dropped away. At present the European custom is confined to a few barrels and casks that are sent to Gibraltar, and one or two other places up the Mediterranean.

As the European markets declined, some compensation, in addition to the extension of the West Indian markets, began to be found in the opening of new ones on this continent, which until then had been neglected, on a count, chiefly, of the political agitations which were so unfavorable to Commerce, and, indeed, to all quiet pursuits. The Spanish South American colonies took fish to the value of about $25,000 in 1820. The Portuguese dominious did still better, Brazil taking to the value of $67,000 at the same time. Brazil, although declining from 1825, continued far in the lead of the other South American communities, until about 1835, when the little colony of the Dutch in Guiana, took the lead, and has since maintained it, at present affording a market for about half our whole South American export.

A little increase within the last few years is seen in the export to Mexico, which there is room yet further to improve. About 1845 a small lot was sent to China, and the opening thus made has been kept and improved. A

few shipments have also recently been made to the South Sea and Pacific, and a few also to the Cape of Good Hope, and to British India.

What the future prospect in regard to these markets, and the opening of new ones is, will be treated of in another place. We here add the table before alluded to; it is more defective than we could wish, owing to the inef ficiency of the data from which it is compiled. The figures, as far as given, however, are correct, with at most but trifling exceptions. The defect is in the want of the statistics for several of the years left blank against places put down, and those for a few other places not included in the table. The several footings, therefore, do not show the complete exports to any quarter, although the correction needed is very trifling in the case of the West Indies. Another defect is in the necessity of embracing only the dried and smoked fish, and the quantity in place of the price, in the statement of 1805-15 inclusive :

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TABLE SHOWING THE PRINCIPAL MARKETS FOR THE FISH OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE, FROM 1789 TO 1850.

Total to West Indies... 685,001 244,363 254,737 119,035 77,298 806,150

Total to West Indies.... 764,386 857,580 895,679 550,325 810,557

3,359 10,932 4,017

372,886

In the foregoing table, it will be seen, we have, as far as possible, embrac d the export both of smoked, and dried, and pickled fish in one statement. The following table of the exports to the principal markets, for 1849-50, will show the gener il proportion of each kind in the whole export, as well as the proportion to each place, and the particular taste of each market, or the adaptation to each of either kind. It shows, also, the quantities exported in comparison with the value :

The total exports for the year were, of fish dried and smoked, 168,600

48

185

607

329

10