64 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
$131,160. The fish were remarkably large and fat, 1,000 yielding about — 
12 gallons of oil, on an average, and 8,200 making a ton of wet scrap. 
The average nee of menhaden to a vessel in 1890 was about 33,633 
barrels. Four steamers fishing for one factory averaged 43,750 Ne: 
each. 
The following year menhaden were less abundant than in 1890, and 
the catch fell off over 50 per cent. Five factories, located at Booth- 
bay, Linnekin, and Round Pond, were in operation. These were sup- 
plied with raw material caught by a fleet of eight fishing steamers 
temporarily withdrawn from Rhode Island. The number of persons 
employed in the factories was 208, to whom $27,350 was paid in wages 
during the season. The value of the works and their equipments was 
$53,000, and $83,000 additional capital was required to conduct the 
business. The number of menhaden utilized at the factories was 
40,850,000, equivalent to 123,750 barrels; these had a value of $122,550, 
or aie $1 per barrel. iicom these the folowing manufactured prod- 
ucts were prepared: 299,300 gallons of oil, with a market value of 
$74,825; 1,800 tons of dry scrap, worth $36,000, and 4,250 tons of wet 
scrap, valued at $50,760, the total value of the oil and scrap being 
$161,585. It appears from these figures that the fish contained much 
less fat than in 1890 and yielded less than 8 gallons of oil per 1,000 fish. 
Mr. W. A. Wilcox made a short visit to Baltimore, in August, 1892, 
for the purpose of securing certain information on oyster packing to 
complete the report of his work in the Chesapeake basin during the 
previous year. 
In December, 1892, Mr. W. H. Abbott devoted about two weeks’ 
time to an examination of the fisheries of the eastern end of Lake 
Erie, supplementing the work done in that section during the previous 
year. 
In April, 1893, a visit was made to Baltimore and Annapolis by Mr. 
C. H. Stevenson, for the purpose of securing from official and private 
records some special data on the oyster industry of Maryland. 
THE INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES COMMISSION. 
During the last month of the fiscal year the writer was absent from 
Washington on duty connected with the work of the International 
Fisheries Commission. The following orders from the Commissioner, 
dated June 1, 1893, indicate in a general way the purpose of the Com- 
mission and ke wr Hees connection therewith : 
Mr. Richard Rathbun, assistant in charge of the Division of Scientific Inquiry, 
having been appointed by the President as the representative of this Government in 
the matter of conducting certain investigations in the waters contiguous to Canada 
and the United States, as called for by the agreement of December 6, 1892, between 
the United States and Great Britain, this work to be carried on siar etal by the 
United States Fish Commission and the Department of Fisheries of Canada, you are 
hereby detailed, at the request of Mr. Rathbun, to cooperate with and assist him in 
the prosecution of theseinquiries. The plans for the work will be duly prepared by 
Mr. Rathbun, and you will follow out such parts of them as he may desire. Youare 
