HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 353 



June 13. 

 Meubaden oil has settled dowu to 34c., at which price there has 

 been a good trade doing, and the market seeras steady with the fol- 

 lowing parcels placed : 400 bbls. at 35c., 150 bbls. at 34c., 75 bbls. 

 at 34c., 50 bbls. at 34c., 94 bbls. at 34c., 02 bbls. at 34c., and 110 



bbls. at 34c. 



June 20. 



Meuhadeu oil has come to hand quite freely, but prime quality has 



ruled steady at 34c., though some off-grade was offered to-day at 33c. 



The sales reported for the week are 250 bbls. at 34c., 80 bbls. at 



34c., 96 bbls. at 34c., and 15G bbls. at 33^c. Light strained oil can 



be had at 38c., bank at 39c., and straits at 40c. 



June 27. 



Menhaden oil has come to hand quite freely, but a good deal had 

 been sold before, a small part for export. The market is steady, with 

 buyers at 33c., but it would be difiicult to get a much higher price for 

 a round lot. The sales reported are 300 bbls. at 33c., 156 bbls. at 

 33c., 67 bbls. at 33c., and 50 bbls. at 33^c. We also hear of 200 

 bbls. in New. Bedford on private terms. We print an item below 

 which would show that the catch is large, but we hear since by let- 

 ter that the fish are running poor, and the oil from them dark. 



"For the first time this season some considerable numbers of men- 

 haden were taken in Gardiner's and Peconic Bays last week. On Mon- 

 day Capt. E. Tallman took 64,000 in the lower bay ; and again on Friday, 

 after taking 150,000 at two dips in the ocean to the southward of Ama- 

 gansett, in coming up to the factory he got 60,000 from them, making 

 his day's catch 210,000. Capt. Israel Warner also made several good 

 hauls of fish in the upper bay, the first we have heard of in that vicinity. 

 While the quantity offish in the outer ocean has been practically lim- 

 itless, and every gang who could go outside to get them has been able 

 on every fair day to make good catches, by a remarkable departure 

 from the usual fact heretofore, few or no fish have entered the bays. 

 Indeed, it is asserted that of all those so far rendered into oil and guano 

 at the factories on shore, or in its limits, not one million in all have 

 been caught in the bay. Opinions differ as to the cause or causes of 

 this result, but the general belief is that the presence of food has been 

 the determining element in the question. Food has been and continues 

 abundant in the ocean, hence the fish stay outside. Except for a fev/ 

 days of thick fog the weather has been quite favorable, and many fish 

 continue to be taken. 



" Greenport, L. I., June 23." 



July 4. 



Menhaden oil has ruled steady, with no great surplus offering, the 

 arrivals being moderate, and some lots taken for export. The sales re- 

 ported are 250 bbls. at 32^0., 75 bbls. at 32ic. for home use, and 200 

 bbls. at 33c., free on board for export. 



"Steamer E. S. Newius, Capt. J. W. Hawkins, was in port on Wednes- 

 23 F 



