198 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
This is exclusive of any of the Southern fisheries, exclusive of the lake fishery, of tae 
whale, porpoise, and seal fishery, and of the salmon, shad, and herring fishery. 
Ry Sir ALEXANDER GALT: 
Q. Does it include the Grand Bank fishery and that at George’s?—A. Yes. 
By Mr. DANA: 
Q. It is exclusive eptirely of the fresh-water fish of the lakes and rivers, shad, her- 
ring, and salmon, of the whale and fur-seal, of the oysters, lobsters, and crabs. The 
total coast-line on which the fisheries are pursued is 1,112 miles, from Cape May to 
Eastport, including the islands. The ratio to the mile is 940,510 pounds, the ratio of 
value is $11,718. 
Q. Will you state how the returns are obtained?—A. The figures in regard to the 
herring, cod, and mackerel are obtained from the reports of the Bureau of Statistics 
of the United States for 1876, the other figures are made up from a series of tables for 
each kind of fish. I had an estimate prepared of the production of each fishery, and 
those figures have been obtained partly from witnesses who have been here to testify, 
partly from the books of dealers in Gloucester, Boston, Newburyport, and elsewhere, 
partly and very largely from the returns I have gathered through agents I have sent 
out, and from circulars I have distributed. I have here an enumeration of all the 
different kinds of fish and qnantity caught ; it is simply a combined table-from a great 
many sub-tables. 
Q. These tables you will put into the case?—A. The tables were not made up by 
me, but under my direction. They are put in by the compiler under an affidavit. 
Q. An examination will show they are very much in detail?—A. These tables, like 
all those of all nations, excepting, perhaps, those of France, are imperfect, and are 
short of the true figures. I have no doubt that a large percentage should be added 
to the tables of both nations in the New World. But they are accurate as far as they 
go; if they err, it is in the direction of deficiency, not of excess. 
Q. It is so on both sides?—A. Yes. 
Q. You are allowed a pretty large staff of persons to assist you as writers ?—A. I 
have all the clerks and assistants I require. But a great many of those returns have 
‘been made to circulars I have distributed through the Departments of the Treasury 
and Post-Office, and other functionaries. 
Q. In view of those vast resources of the country, and the supply of sea-fish of all 
kinds, the improved and increased methods of catching the fish, do you think there 
is any one kind of fish, the entire failure of which would prove a very serious matter, 
such, for instance, as the mackerel obtained in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ?—A. I do 
not think that the entire failure of any kind of fish would affect the supply ; but this 
would stimulate the fishermen to renewed efforts regarding some other fish. If all 
the mackerel disappeared, their places would be supplied by the Southern mullet, 
which are more abundant than the mackerel, and which could be taken in.twice the 
quantity, if not more. If every mackerel was destroyed the mackerel fishermen 
would go down to the Southern coast, and take the mullet and pickle them. 
Q. Your last statement applies only to fish caught north of Cape May ?—A. Yes; 
it does-not include any Southern fisheries at all, or any catch of the same fish in 
Southern waters, such as the bluefish or the mackerel. 
By Mr. FOSTER: 
Q. Is Cape May far north of the treaty line ?—A. It is directly on the treaty line ; 
this line cuts off Cape May and runs just at the north point of the coast there. 
By Mr. Dana: 
Q. So that these tables do not include the opening of Delaware Bay ?—A. No ; but 
only the fisheries on the coast of New Jersey—the outer coast of New Jersey—and 
from that northward. 
By Mr. THOMSON: 
Q. All this evidence which you haye given, with reference to the mullet.becoming 
