SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 19 



law, that all vessels and other property employed in "taking, 

 making and transporting of fish, should be exempt from duties 

 and public taxes for seven years ; and that all fishermen, during 

 the season of their business, should be dispensed from military 

 duty. This so stimulated the business that in 1641, the mariners 

 of that colony followed the fishing so well, that there was above 

 three hundred thousand dry fish sent to market."* 



They become a Practical School for Seamen. 



This system of encouragement also resulted, not only to the 

 increase of the fisheries, but also, by consequence, led to the busi- 

 ness of ship building, and to a more extended commerce. It also 

 proved itself to be one of the very best practical schools for sea- 

 manship and a source from which, in process of time, the merchant 

 service derived their most expert and skilful sailors and shipmas- 

 ters. At the breaking out of the revolution, these men formed the 

 nucleus of our navy, which, though small, did essential and effect- 

 ive service in the cause of their country, and in the war of 1812, 

 constituted a formidable rival to the greatest naval power then on 

 earth. 



The United States adopt and continue a System of Encouragement. 



When peace was established and the Federal Congress was or- 

 ganized under the new constitution, they remembered this service, 

 and to aid in continuing a school productive of such good results, 

 they adopted a system of national bounty to those fishermen who 

 embarked in the business to a certain extent. This bounty gon- 

 tinues in operation to this day, and under its provisions more than 

 three millions of dollars have been received since its commencement 

 by the hardy fishermen of Maine alone. 



Aided by the stimuli and encouragement, which we have men- 

 tioned, and the profitable character of the business itself, the Maine 

 fishermen have continued to increase from the humble beginnings 

 we have related, until in 1850, the product of the shipping so em- 

 ployed amounted to $569,876 ; the capital employed to $496,910 ; 

 and the number of hands to 2,783, being third State in rank. 



One would be lost in trying to estimate the myriads of fishes, of 

 various kinds, that have been drawn from our waters, both sea and 



* Palfrey's History of New England, vol. 11, p. 55. 



L 



