THE COMMERCIAL SPONGES AND THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 483 
Judging from the statistics alone, the fishery seems to have been well 
maintained during the past twenty years. 
The sponges of Tunis are inferior to those of Tripoli and average from 10 
to 20 per cent less in price for corresponding kinds. Those taken by the gan- 
gava or dredge bring a lower price than the product of either the harpoon or 
scaphander, probably on account of their miscellaneous character as to both 
size and quality. Many of the native spongers sell their catch in its natural 
or uncleaned condition (péche noire), but the foreign fishermen all clean their 
product (péche blanche) before selling it. 
The Tunisian Government has followed a vacillating policy in regard to 
licenses for the fishery, especially as to the scaphander; but in 1903 the annual 
fees were fixed at $20 for harpoons, $75 for dredges, and $200 for scaphanders. 
For the “‘péche noire" the tax is $8 per boat, all sponges to be landed and 
sold in the uncured state. 
Sfax and Gherbis are the principal markets, whence a large part of the 
product is shipped to Marseilles. Owing to the imposition of an import duty 
in France there is a growing tendency to ship to London. 
LAMPEDUSA AND THE SICILIAN SEA. 
The sponge fishery in these waters is carried on from March until about 
the middle of November, principally on the banks stretching south and south- 
west from Lampedusa almost to the coasts of Tripoli and Tunis, but also to some 
extent north of Pantellaria and off the west coast of Sicily. The fishery is 
almost solely in the hands of Italians and Greeks, although a few Turkish 
and Tripolitan vessels are occasionally engaged in it. In 1904 there were 63 
Italian vessels of 1,302 tons carrying 309 men and 37 Greek vessels of a total 
tonnage of 716 and carrying 406 men. ‘The vessels range between 10 and 4o 
tons. 
Three methods are employed in the fishery—harpooning or hooking, dredg- 
ing, and diving with the scaphander. The native fishermen use the first two 
methods solely, while about half of the Greeks employ the diving dress. The 
Italian fishermen are practically all Sicilians, though a few come from Naples. 
In 1904 the product was about 81,000 pounds, valued at $123,000, as com- 
pared with 98,000 pounds, valued at $150,000, in 1903 and 68,000 pounds, valued 
at $85,000, in 1902. Both the product and the number of persons engaged in 
the fishery have decreased since 1899. 
The Italian spongers sell most of their catch at Lampedusa, whence it is 
shipped to Palermo, Leghorn, Milan, Ancona, Venice, Trieste, Paris, Marseilles, 
and Barcelona. Those taken by the Greek divers are carried to Pireeus, where 
those of the best grade, which come from the bank of Mezogiorno, bring about 
20 per cent more than in Lampedusa. In 1904 the sponges taken with the gan- 
