REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [162] 



house, the packages to be weighed by a sworn weigher before they are 

 shipped, and after that to be at the risk of the buyer. Some such system 

 as the above will have to be agreed upon ere the business can be con- 

 sidered a really safe one, and the soouer those engaged confer together 

 and resolve to have the matter presented before the legislature, with a 

 view for the abolishment of the law, the better it will be for all inter- 

 ested. Mackerel can be seized and tampered with until their reputa- 

 tion is affected, and Gloucester lose the prestige which she is gaining 

 so rapidly. Will our business men stand that ? Can they suffer it ? 

 We opine not, and they will say so most emphatically ere long.'- 



In the spring of 1879 some amendments were made to the Massachu- 

 setts inspection laws. One of these amendments permits the packing 

 of pickled fish in small packages of any size which are properly branded. 

 Another amendment repealed the section that required the word " for- 

 eign " to be stamped on barrels of dutiable imported pickled fish. 



The Boston Commercial Bulletin in February, 1870, discussed the 

 reasons for abolishing the office of inspector general, and said, "that 

 the whole system of inspection of mackerel at the present .time is a per- 

 fect farce, and rather than have it carried on as it is, it would be better 

 for the trade and the public to have, the office of inspector-general 

 abolished, and the system done away with. In that case the packers 

 would do their own branding; and buyers, in making their purchases, 

 would place faith in the truthfulness of the brand only according to 

 the reputation of the packers." 



VII. STATISTICS OF THE INSPECTION OF MACK- 

 EREL FROM 1804 TO 1880. 



[By A. Howakd Clakk.] 



L.— STATISTICS OF MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND NEW 

 HAMPSHIRE, AND TOTAL STATISTICS. 



40. — Statistics of Massachusetts. 



The inspection of pickled mackerel in Massachusetts is exhibited in 

 three statements. The first statement shows in detail the number of 

 barrels packed in each inspection port of the State during each year from 

 1804 to 1881 ; and for the years from 1804 to 1878, was compiled by Mr. 

 Alexander Starbuck from the official returns deposited by the inspector- 

 generals in the office of the secretary of state of Massachusetts. The 

 statistics for the years 1879, 1880, and 1881 are from official documents, 

 signed by the inspector- general. From a review of this statement we 

 find that in the earlier years of the mackerel fishery nearly forty fish- 

 ing ports were engaged in packing mackerel, but during recent years 

 the business has been concentrated to a dozen or fifteen places, the 



