94 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



This attempt to establish a permanent settlement of fisher- 

 men and planters on Cape Ann failed, Mr. White giving 

 as a reason for the failure " the ill choice of the place for fish- 

 ing. First, that no sure fishing-place in the land is fit for 

 planting, nor any good place for planting found fit for fish- 

 ing, at least near the shore ; and, second, rarely any fish- 

 ermen will work at land ; neither are husbandmen fit for 

 fishermen, but with long use and experience." Words as 

 true to-day of the American fishermen as when uttered two 

 hundred and fifty years ago. 



You will hardly agree with him as regards " the ill choice 

 of the place for fishing," when to-day Gloucester, " the har- 

 bor of Cape Ann," ranks as the representative fishing-port 

 of the world, and the centre of the fishing business of 

 America. With a fleet of vessels numbering 459, of over 

 five tons' burthen, in 1879, of which nine were hauled up and 

 eighteen lost during the year without realizing any stock, 

 leaving 432 actively engaged in the various branches of the 

 business for a part or all the year, there was a total tonnage 

 of 25,471 tons, emplojdng 4,703 fishermen. Original value 

 of the fleet, $2,688,272; present value, $1,223,413. The 

 "gross stock," or catch, amounted to $1,799,566 in value, 

 which, after deducting "stock expenses," which are bait and 

 ice with expenses procuring it, is divided equally between 

 the crew and the vessel : one-half of one per cent to the 

 widows' and orphans' fund is paid from the crew's part. 

 In 1879 the crews of the vessels over twenty tons averaged 

 a hundred and seventy-six dollars each for the time they 

 were employed ; and those in boats under twenty tons and 

 above five realized an average of a hundred and eighty-four 

 dollars and a quarter each. 



These vessels caught 116,034 barrels of mackerel, salted 

 and fresh, and 60,920,558 pounds of other fish, which in- 

 cludes 11,336,716 pounds in "gross weight" of halibut, 

 which realized to the vessels $376,378 for net weight, or 

 heads off. 



There were also 345 boats and dories, of $10,000 value, 

 under five tons, employing 468 fishermen, who caught $96,- 

 500 worth of fish, sold mostly fresh, or 7,426,000 pounds. 

 There were also employed 79 men, 74 dories, and 2,399 

 lobster-pots in catching 2,538 barrels of lobsters, worth $5,000. 



