HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 151 



Capt. Sylvanus Smith, of Gloucester, stated to the Ilalifax Coaimis- 

 sion that a vessel fitting out for a four months' trip to the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence would need to be supplied with 40 barrels of pogie bait, 

 worth $G a barrel, making $210, aud 10 barrels of salt clams, worth $8 

 a barrel, making $80.* 



Major Low's statement, copi;jd from the trip-book of the schooner 

 Oliver Eldridge,t shows that she fitted out with 55 barrels of slivered 

 pogies, at $6.50 a barrel, making $357.50, and 7 barrels of clams, at $6, 

 making $42,f 



The amount of these outfits is much greater than that upon which 

 the above estimate was made. 



The entire amount used in the mackerel fishery in 1877 probably did 

 not exceed 8,000 or 9,000 barrels of slivers, or 21,000 to 27,0U0 barrels 

 of "round fish." 



Consumption hy the Connecticut smacJcs. 



210. There are seven Connecticut smacks fishing for the flounder 

 {Chaeiiopsetta ocellaris) in Long Island and Block Island Sounds. Five 

 of these hail from Noauk, one from Mystic, aud one from New London. 

 Captain Ash by tells me that these smacks average one trip every four 

 or five days for five months (May to September inclusive). They use 

 only menhaden bait ; about one barrel each trip, or perhaps 150 bar- 

 rels in the season. 



Sixteen Noank and four New London smacks fish for sea-bass. Each 

 carries two or three barrels of menhaden bait each trip, making an ag- 

 gregate annual amount of about 1,000 barrels. 



Consumption hy the Wew Yorlc halibut fleet. 



211. The New York halibut fleet of 11 sails, owned at Noauk, New 

 Loudon, and Greenport, uses only menhaden bait, which is iced fresh 

 in the vessels' holds. Each vessel carries from 6,000 to 10,000 fish each 

 trip. Each vessel makes five or six trips. The aggregate number of 

 menhaden thus used is perhaps 480,000, or 1,400 barrels. The usual 

 price is $4 a thousand. 



A.nnual sale of halt hy the Maine manufacturers. 



212. The Menhaden Oil and Guano Manufacturing Association of 



Maine sold for bait : 



Barrels 

 of tibb. 



In 1873 2, 977 



In 1874 . . _ 10, 400 



In 1875 10, 752 



In 1876 , 8, 432 



In 1877 10, 795 



* Proceedings Hajifax Commission, 1877, Appendix L, p. 334. 



t Which sailed for the Bay of St. LaAvreuce August 5, 1875 (absent 2 months aud 28 

 days), arrived at Gloucester November 2, 1875, stocking $1,771.83, or 234 barrels of 

 mess mackerel. 



i Ihid., p. 364. 



