FOREIGN FISHERY-TRADE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



545 



83. Statement of the approximate rates of duty imposed on sponges imported into various 

 foreign countries — Continued. 



Countries. 



Designation. 



Duty per 100 

 pounds. 



North America — 



West Indies — 



Bahamas.. . . 



Guadaloupe. . 



Haiti 



South America: 

 Argentina 



Bolivia. 

 Brazil.. 



Venezuela 



Australasia and Oceanica : 



Queensland 



Tasmania 



Polynesia 



French Oceanica 



Fine 



Common, for horses . 



Fine, tor toilet 



Fair, for toilet 



Bath and carriage 



For horses 



For scrubbing 



Fine 



Common 



Fine 



Common 



Fine 



Common. 



Free. 



in p. et. ad val. 

 $33. 77 

 5.79 



547. 10 

 218.84 

 87.54 

 38.29 

 21.88 

 79.34 

 16.53 

 346. 71 

 74.30 

 10.94 



15 p. ct. ad val. 



12J p. ct. ad val. 



10 p. ct. ad val. 

 4.40 

 1.13 



XV.— MARINE SHELLS. 



General trade since 1868. — Among tiie miscellaneous fishery products 

 that enter into our foreign trade, marine shells call for special notice. 

 Of these there are several classes, viz, (1) shells, not cut or ground; 

 (2) mother-of-pearl, not cut or ground; (3) shells and mother-of-pearl, 

 manufactured, and (1) cuttlefish bone. The uncut shells imported into 

 this country consist of ornamental shells, shells for manufacture of 

 buttons, etc. They are received principally from England, French 

 Oceanica, Colombia, Mexico, and France, but nearly all are originally 

 obtained from tropical waters. Little variation exists in the quantity 

 of cuttlefish bone imported during recent years, averaging about 150,000 

 pounds, worth 10 cents per pound. 



An interesting feature of this shell trade is the large number of shells 

 imported during recent years for use in the shell-button factories in the 

 United States. During the last four years several of these factories 

 have been established in the interior of this country, and in addition to 

 the freshwater shells of tbe adjacent regions, they utilize quantities 

 from Japan, India, Australasia, and especially Tahiti. 



The marine shells exported are not of great value, and consist largely 

 ofabalone shells. 



Table 81 shows the extent of the foreign trade in marine shells during 

 the twenty-six years ending in 1891. The imports have gradually 

 increased since 1885, reaching a maximum value of $1,621,681 in 1893. 

 Tbe imports for 1891 show a considerable decrease, because of the gen- 

 eral depression of business, which naturally affects the importation of 

 ornamental articles more seriously than the more necessary ones. The 

 value of domestic exports shows a very great fluctuation, ranging from 

 $1,500 to 871,328 per year. 

 F. R . 91 35 



