A HALF-CENTURY OF GROWTH 167 



The French, Dutch, and Danish possessions of the West 

 Indies, Cuba and Hayti took the bulk of fish that were sent 

 to the West Indies. 1 



The quantity of dried fish sent to the West Indies during 

 the years 1821, 1825 and 1832 averages nearly the same as 

 was sent there in 1800, which was 244,352 quintals. The 

 average annual exports of this kind of fish for the thirty- 

 three years from 1819 to 1851 were 242,697 quintals, valued 

 at $673,723 annually. This amount is slightly below the 

 average for the period of 1783 to 1818. The tonnage em- 

 ployed in the fisheries during the latter period was about 

 double that of the former, and the natural inference would 

 be that exports should show a corresponding increase. As 

 a matter of fact, European exports fell off until they need 

 hardly be considered. Our exports to the British West In- 

 dies were suspended after the opening of the war of 1812, 

 and when peaceful relations were resumed this trade was 

 not recovered by the New England shippers, a trade which 

 in 1800 amounted to 141,000 quintals of dried fish. The 

 loss of the trade with the British West Indies was due to 

 the successful competition of the fishermen of the British 

 North American provinces. The value of the cod and 

 mackerel fisheries of New England was in excess of former 

 periods by a wide margin ; the loss of trade with Europe 

 and the absence of an increase of exports to the West Indies 

 do not indicate, necessarily, that our fisheries were in a 

 low state or that the decline of export trade was a calamity 

 to the industry. The explanation is found in the increasing 

 demand for American fish in our own markets, the demand 

 at home being for the best quality of cured fish. 



A writer of the times describes the change that took place 

 in the course of our export trade as follows: "Of late 

 years (between 1830 and 1840) an entire change of mar- 

 kets for the products of the fishery, so far as it respects the 



iPitkin, p. 88. 



