CHAP. XXXV. AMERICAX BOUNTIES TO FISHERMEN. 219 



fisheries to France and the United States has been the 

 cause of the extraordinary efforts which have been made 

 (on all occasions of the renewal of treaties by those 

 powers), not only to maintain the position formerly won 

 by them, but to take every conceivable advantage of 

 this great nursery for their seamen. 



The Government of the United States have paid not 

 less than ,^12,944,998 for bounties to vessels engaged in 

 the fisheries since the commencement of the Eepublic ; * 

 and the average amount now paid annually by the 

 Government is very nearly ,^340,000. So great is the 

 impetus which this system of bounties has given to the 

 American fishermen, that while in 1795 only 37,000 tons 

 of shipping were employed in the cod fishery, at present 

 there are upwards of 110,000 tons engaged in this lucra- 

 tive business. 



The following tables show the great value of the 

 American fisheries, the greater part of this extraordinary 

 annual income being derived from the inexhaustible sup- 

 phes in British American waters. The chief returns are 

 from a recent annual report of the Secretary of State, 

 United States : — 



UNITED STATES FISHERIES. 



WHALE FISHEKY. 



Vessels employed 661 



Tonnage 203,062 



* The bounty, according to tlie laws of 1855, is as follows : — 

 A vessel between 35 tons receives $S 50 per ton 

 A vessel more tban 30 tons „ 4 00 „ 



The small State of Massachusetts has received, since the declaration of 

 independence, bounties to the amount of ^7,926,273 ; and Maine, contiguous 

 to New Brunswick and Canada, the sum of ^4,157,050. 



