542 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



XIV.— SPONGES. 



General trade since 1868. — The foreign trade in sponges is of con- 

 siderable importance. The typical forms of commercial sponges are 

 essentially confined to the waters of the southern and western coasts 

 of Florida, and the waters of the Bahama Archipelago in the Western 

 Hemisphere, and to the Mediterranean and Red seas in the Eastern 

 Hemisphere. The importation of sponges is of growing importance in 

 the United States, and the domestic exports have decreased consider- 

 ably since 1885, as indicated in the following table, showing for the 26 

 years ending in 1894 the value of the foreign sponges imported for con- 

 sumption, the domestic exports, and the excess of the imports over the 

 exports : 



80. Statement of the foreign trade in sponges from 1S69 to 1S94, inclusive. 





Imports by countries. — These sponges are received principally from 

 the British West Indies, Cuba, Great Britain, Greece, and Austria. 

 During the ten years ending June 30, 1894, the receipts from the Brit- 

 ish West Indies amounted in value to $1,736,332; from Cuba, $479,961; 

 from Great Britain, $933,154, and from Greece, $244,851. The imports 

 from countries on the American Continent amounted to $2,233,002 ; from 

 Europe, $1,379,494; and from Asia and Oceanica, $9,080. Table 81 

 shows, by countries, the receipts during each year from 1885 to 1894? 

 inclusive : 



