436 



GEOGEAPHICAL EEVIEW OF THE FISHEEIES. 



about the same as those who are paid a certain amount. A fair average of the amount made by 

 each man would be $11 a month, making $77 for a season of seven months. Computing on this 

 average, it will be seen that during an oyster season the 4,900 dredgers receive about $377,300, 

 and the 700 captains, whose wages will average $50 a month, about $245,000 making a total of 

 $622,300. It would also be proper to add to this amount the cost of boarding these men, since 

 that in fact forms a part of their wages. This costs the vessels about $7.50 a month for each man ; 

 equal to $420 a season for each boat, or $294,000 for the entire fleet. This, added to $622,300, 

 gives a total of $916,300 paid to the dredgers of Maryland during every oyster season. 



The law requires all boats engaged in dredging to obtain from the State comptroller a yearly 

 license, costing $3 for each registered ton. For reasons explained elsewhere this law has never 

 been fully enforced, and the records of the past season are entirely without value in determining, 

 even to an approximate degree, the number of dredging boats, since more than one-half of them 

 worked without license. Through the kindness of Hon. Thomas J. Keating, State comptroller, I 

 have obtained the record of the past ten years, as shown in the following table: 



Statement showing the number of boats licensed to dredge, tlieir aggregate tonnage, and the amount of license money paid dur- 

 ing the past ten years, compiled from the tools of the comptroller's office at Annapolis. 



It will be seen by examining the above table that the highest number of licenses issued in any 

 one year was in 1875-'77, when there were 691 boats, having an aggregate tonnage of 16,156.23, or 

 an average tonnage of 23.38 each. Since that year there has been a steady decrease in the number 

 of licensed dredgers, although there has been no decrease in the actual number of boats engaged 

 in the business. Knowing this to be true, and also mindful of the fact that even in 1875-'76 there 

 were some unlicensed dredgers, I have thought it safe to place the number of dredging boats 

 working during the season of 1879-'80 at 700. There are some well-informed persons who would 

 make the figure as high as 800, but I have based my statement upon information gathered from 

 many sources. Taking the average tonnage in 1875-'76, and multiplying it by 700, we have 16,366 

 as the aggregate tonnage of the vessels now engaged in dredging. At $3 per ton for license, this 

 should have yielded the State during the past season a revenue of $49,098, instead of $18,606.50, 

 the amount collected. The 327 vessels which, either from honesty or policy, paid into the State 

 treasury $18,606.50, received no privileges or advantages not taken by the 373 which dredged 

 without license. 



Dredging boats range in size from 5 to 75 tons, and in value from $500 or $600 to $8,000, some 

 few owned in the lower part of the State being valued as high as $10,000. The boats owned in* 

 Baltimore are generally in every way inferior to those hailing from the counties. The present 

 value of these boats, basing the estimate upon information obtained from all parts of the State, 



