INTRODUCTION". vu 



While it IS impossible to predict what may be the temperature of these 

 waters in the future, there is little reason to fear that the absence of the 

 menhaden will be })ermaiient. Several of the leading firms have agreed to 

 have water temperatures taken from their steamers in the coming season ; 

 this cannot fail to throw much light on these puzzling subjects. 



The sixth auiiual meeting of the U. S. Menhaden Oil and Guano Asso- 

 ciation vi^iis held in the United States Hotel, New York, Wednesday, January 

 8, 1879. The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. R. L. Fowler, 

 fourteen memliers being })resent. The minutes of the last meeting and 

 the Treasurer's report having been a])proved, the following officers were 

 elected : Mr. R. L. Fowler, President ; Mr. D. T. Church, First Vice- 

 President ; Mr. B. F. Gallup, Second Vice-President ; Mr. H. L. Dudley, 

 Secretary and Treasurer, and Captain John Luce, Messrs. T. F. Price, 

 and R. L. Fowler, Executive Committee. 



The meeting adjourned subject to the call of the chairman. 



The following is the report of the Committee on Statistics for the year : 



Number of factories in operation 56 



Number of sail vessels employed 279 



Increase over 1877 9 



Number of steamers employed 64 



Increase over 1877 1 



Number of men employed 3,337 



Increase over 1877 650 



Amount of capital invested $2,350,000 



Increase over 1877 302,388 



Number of fish caught 776,779,250 



Increase over 1877 189,155,125 



Number of gallons oil manufactured 3,809,233 



Increase over 1877 1,392,644 



Number of tons guano made 55,164 



Less than 1877 280 



Number of tons guano dried 19,377 



Increase over 1877 13,367 



Number of gallons oil held by manufacturers January 15, 1878. 742,600 



Increase in 1878, gallons 478,600 



Number tons guano held by manufacturers, January 15, 1878. 885 



Less than in 1877 6,390 



Yield of oil per thousand, 1878, gallons ^-q 



