the Fishing Insurance Company, and the call was read by Cyrus Sto- 

 ry, secretary of said company. 



On motion of Sylvester Cunningham, George Steele was made 

 chairman of the meeting. 



On motion of E. K. Burnham, Cyrus Story was chosen secretary. 



Mr. Steele expressed his pleasure at seeing so many present, di- 

 rectly and indirectly interested in the fishing business. He called at- 

 tention to the changes that had taken place in the business within a 

 few years, the increased railroad facilities of the provinces, the adop- 

 tion of American methods there in preparing fish for the market, of 

 the growing competition even in the fresh fish business, the growth 

 of the provincial fishing fleet, etc. Our fishing owners, he said, have 

 tried the past season to keep up prices by paying from fifty to seven- 

 ty-five cents per quintal more for the fish taken by their own vessels 

 than for that brought here by Nova Scotia vessels, and thus encour- 

 age our own fishermen, and had carried on the business at a consid- 

 erable loss. The provincials have the advantage of a cheaper class 

 of vessels, costing about $25 per ton, but equally as good for the 

 first ten years as our own ; the iron in their construction and outfits 

 costs them much less than with us ; and in the matter of rigging 

 there is a great saving. The raw material for hemp rigging costs us 

 about $25 per ton, duty, and a Gloucester fishing schooner will re- 

 quire about 8000 lbs., which is 1500 to 2000 lbs. more than is used 

 in rigging a large three-master, which use more wire rigging. Every 

 fishing vessel you rig costs you $100 duty on manila alone. In 

 conclusion Mr. Steele said this was a question which must be met at 

 once, and counselled co-operation with other New England fishing 

 ports. It was of no use to expect sympathy from the trade in Bos- 

 ton, because their interest was different from ours, and they want free 

 fish. He thought it would be wise to select a committee to act upon 

 the matter, and that a goodly sum of money should be raised to make 

 the work of the committee effective. 



Collector Fitz J. Babson addressed the meeting by invitation of 

 the chairman. He was willing at any time and at all times, he said, 

 to do whatever he could to promote the interests of the Gloucester 

 fisheries. He believed the matter was a national matter, purely and 

 entirely. The United States has more at stake than this communit}' 

 in canying on the business. The iron propellers have driven our 



