HISTORICAL PREFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. G93 



that island ou her homeward passage. This occurred about 1800. The Bilboa trade was also resumed by our mer- 

 chants after the war. The first vessel that ever left Massachusetts Bay with a cargo of lish for a European market 

 was the ship belonging to the Dorchester Company, which sailed from Cape Ann Harbor for Spain in 1623, as stated 

 in a previous chapter of this book; but 'of the great trade in that article of which that voyage was the commencement 

 we know little more than the beginning and the end. In 1767 thero were sent to Bilboa from the ports of Esses 

 County as many as 51,000 quintals of fish, of which quantity Gloucester, without doubt, furnished a, considerable 

 portion. The merchants of the town finally abandoned the trade soon after the beginning of the present century, 

 chiclly, it is said, in consequence of discriminating duties at that port in favor of the fish of other countries. The 

 interruption of the business of France, occasioned by the revolution in that uation, opened for a short season a profit- 

 able market for American fish, of which some of the Gloucester merchants took advantage. One schooner, fitted out 

 from the town in 1793, went to the Grand Bank and took 21,000 fish, with which she sailed to Nantes, but, upon arriv- 

 ing on the coast, was ordered to Belle Isle, where the fish were sold in a green state at a half crown apiece, producing 

 over 10,000 crowns. This was a rare case of course, and, as might be expected, the business was soon overdone, and 

 finally, upon the resumption of the French fisheries, abandoned altogether. 



"The peace in 1783 also enabled the merchants of Gloucester to pursue the West India trade again for several 

 years without interruption. A considerable portion of this trade that carried on with the French islands finally 

 ceased to be profitable in consequence of the large bounty by which the importation of French fish was encouraged, 

 and before 1830 was totally abandoned by the merchants of the town. About the same time the unimportant commerce 

 carried on with some of the other islauds was also given up, and Gloucester turned attention to the home market, 

 which began then to be opened, and which it has ever since found to afford the best customers for its staple products. 

 If a particular account of our West India trade should ever be written, one incident of it possessing interest in these 

 days of huge sh ps and a vast commerce will command the attention of the historian. This was the fitting out, during 

 the embargo preceding the last war with Great Britain, of several of the small fishing-boats of the town on voyages 

 to the West Indies. One of these boats was of 13 tons burden, and the largest was not more than 20. The act was 

 unlawful, and they departed, of course, by stealth. The fish which they carried were sold at high prices, and the 

 boats were disposed of without great loss, though the master of one ventured home with a cargo of coffee, which he 

 lauded at Squarn in the night, and before morning was again out to sea to set his boat adrift in Massachusetts Bay, 

 where, be was finally picked up. 



"The only branch of foreign commerce which has been steadily pursued by merchants of Gloucester for a loug 

 course of years is that carried on with Paramaribo, or, as it is usually called here, Surinam, the capital of Dutch 

 Guiana. Boston vessels traded to Surinam as early as 1713, for two arrived at the former port from that place in one 

 week of that year; but it is not known that any Gloucester vessel engaged in the trade till about 1790, when, it is 

 said, Colonel Pearce sent a vessel there. The chief article of export is hake, supplied in part by Maine fishermen, 

 though other provisions, as beef, pork, lard, hams, and Hour, are sent in largo quantities. The return cargoes consist 

 almost wholly of molasses and sugar, but some coffee and cocoa are also brought. Under the stimulus of the very 

 high prices of sugar and molasses in 1817 the trade of Gloucester with Surinam for that year probably exceeded iu 

 amount that of the whole foreign commerce of the town iu any previous year of its history. 



"The, commerce of Gloucester began with the shipment of wood to Boston, a business which, iu course of time, 

 compelled the people of the town to seek their own supply abroad. This, according to the lapse of years, they 

 obtained from places more and more remote, till at last they came to depend ou Nova Scotia for this essential article. 

 The wood-coasters of that province began to come to Gloucester about twenty years ago. The vessels were then of 

 no greater avenge burden than 40 tons, but the size has increased with the growth of the business, and has now 

 reached an average of 75. The number of arrivals of foreign vessels, nearly all of which were these wood-coasters, 

 was, in 1659, one hundred and forty-two. Before the reciprocity treaty with Great Britain these vessels generally took 

 home specie, but since that happy event they have carried provisions and other articles from the well-supplied stores 

 of the town." 



ESSEX. 



THE GKOWTII OF THE FISHERIES. The early history of this town is included in that of Ipswich, of which it 

 formed a part until 1819, when it became known under its present name. The following historical facts are recorded 

 in the History of Essex by Crowell & Choate, 18G5, and in Felt's History of Ipswich, 1634: 



"In 1732 the fishery was successfully carried on here, and in the center of the town. The town, by a vote passed 

 the year before, required the names of all the crews of fishing vessels in the town to be entered with the town clerk, 

 on penalty of 20 for every omission." 



"In 1770 fishing was much encouraged among us. From twenty- five to thirty Chebacco boats, with two men and 

 a boy iu each, went to Damaris Cove and brought their fish ashore here to be cured. Fish (lakes were to bo found on 

 Hog Island, ou Warehouse Island at the north end, on Thompson's Island, and at Clay Point.'' 



"About 1804 forty sail of boats were engaged in the fishery ou the eastern shore; a few were employed in the 

 Bank fishery. The fishing business diminished as ship-building increased and was found more profitable. The 

 former was mostly discontinued about 18<01." 



"In I860 a company became incorporated for having a canal from Ipswich to Essex. It was made navigable 

 early in 18<il. Its length is about half a mile. It commences at Fox Creek and rims Iu (.'hebacco River. It cost 

 near $1,100. This stock is divided into twenty-seven .shares, of S-IO each, and pa\ s nearly G per cent, on the original 

 amount. As an inlet to Essex from Merrim.irk Kiver I'm y/iij/ limber , li-hing ves.-cls at Essex), it has kept this article 



