OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 757 



found upon the beds hundreds of vessels of more than 

 ten tons capacity, engaged in dredging for oysters without 

 displaying a State license number, as required by law. 

 . . . Out of more than one hundred . . . we 

 failed to find ... a single one which was licensed, 

 as required by the local law. 



. . . We were informed by George T. Roe, magis- 

 trate of Deal's Island, Somerset County, that he himself 

 issued 250 local dredging licenses in 1881, and that this 

 year, 1882, he knew personally of only two dredgers in his 

 district who had conformed to the law and taken out 

 licenses. 



. . . In our examination of the oyster beds we 

 accidentally discovered a practice, which is so dangerous 

 that it should be prohibited by law. A dredger, who was 

 arrested by Captain Mitchell at our request, said that he 

 had not yet received his license, but that he had paid his 

 license money to the commander of the fishing sloop of 

 his district, although he had no receipt to show. We 

 afterwards found the commander of this sloop, and when 

 brought aboard the steamer and questioned, he admitted 

 that he did sometimes receive the money for licenses in 

 this way, but that he took out the licenses as soon after- 

 wards as possible, and retained them in his possession 

 until he had an opportunity to deliver them. He also said 

 that, in such cases, he did not usually give a receipt, as 

 the dredgers were acquainted with him, and wanted none. 



We . . . respectfully submit . . . that a law 

 be passed to declare that no vessel shall be used to take 

 oysters in this State, unless it shall have on board, at the 

 time it is thus used, the license required by law, and that 

 the penalty for the violation of this law shall be the same 

 as the penalty for dredging without a license ; and we also 



