524 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



X.— MARINE OILS. 



General foreign trade in marine oils. — The decrease in exports of 

 marine oils is largely responsible for the falling off in the extent of our 

 foreign trade in fishery products, and the decrease in oil exports is a 

 necessary consequence of the decline in the whale fishery. In 1876 the 

 valne of the domestic marine oil exported was $1,802,318; in 1894 it 

 was only $140,851. The total value of fishery products exported during 

 the former year was $5,806,445, and in the latter it was but $4,258,301. 

 A large quantity of menhaden oil is now exported for use as a lubricant 

 and in dressing leather, etc. 



The following compilation shows for a series of twenty-six years 

 ending June 30, 1894, the quantity and value of foreign marine oil 

 imported into the United States, the domestic oil exported, the excess 

 of each item over the other, and the average value per gallon of each 

 class : 



65. Statement of the foreign trade in marine oils during the twenty-six years eliding in 1804. 



The sign -4- indicates excess of imports over exports; — indicates excess of exports over imports. 



