[379] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



be lawful for any inspector within the county to inspect and brand the 

 same in such town or plantation. 



The following law was passed February 25, 1824 : 



Inspection of imported fish. 



Sec. 1. Be it enacted, &c, That all butter, lard ; pickled, dry, or 

 smoked fish, beef, and pork, or other salted provisions that may have 

 been inspected in any other of the United States, may be exported from 

 any port in this State to any foreign port without its being subject to 

 reiuspection, any law to the contrary notwithstanding. 



The following law passed February 2, 1828 : 



Inspection of shad. 



Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives, in legislature 

 assembled, That, from and after the passing of this act, it shall be the 

 duty of the several inspectors of fish in this state to brand shad bar- 

 relled as specified in the fourth section of an act, passed the twenty- 

 second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, as 

 follows, viz : Those of the best quality, caught in the right season, to 

 be most approved and free from damage, having their tails cut off and 

 back bones out, shall be branded " Cargo Mess"; those which remain 

 after the best have been selected, being sweet and free from taint, rust, 

 or damage, with their back bones in, and tails on, shall be branded 

 " Cargo No. 1 " ; and there shall be a third quality, which shall consist 

 of the thinnest and poorest of those that are sweet and wholesome, which 

 shall be branded" Cargo No. 2"; anything contained in any act to which 

 this is additional, to the contrary notwithstanding. 



The following additional law regulating the inspection of smoked 

 herring was passed February 12, 1831 : 



it Be it enacted, &c, That from and after the passage of this act, the 

 several inspectors of fish in this state shall be authorized to inspect 

 smoked herring scaled and packed in boxes eighteen inches long, nine 

 inches wide, and seven inches deep in the clear, which boxes shall be 

 made (except as to dimensions) in the manner provided by law for 

 pickled and smoked fish, and in addition to the brand now required by 

 law, there shall be branded upon the cover of said boxes, first sort, or 

 second sort scaled herring (as the quality may require), first sort to be not 

 less than eight inches long, and second sort no*t less than six inches and 

 a half long, and cured in a superior maimer. 



2. Be it further enacted, That the inspection and exportation of said her- 

 rings shall be subject to the same regulations as are prescribed by law 

 for pickled and smoked fish, and that the act passed January twenty- 

 ninth, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty- 

 two, entitled " An act in addition to an act to provide for the packing 



