[387] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



shall be branded number one; those that remain free from taint, and 

 sound, number twoP 



The act of March 31, 1846, defines the grades of mackerel under four 

 numbers, and reads as follows: 



"Sec. 1. From and after the passing- of this act there shall be four 

 numbers of mackerel: Those of the best quality, not mutilated, meas- 

 uring not less than thirteen inches from the extremity of the head to 

 the crotch or fork of the tail, free from rust, taint, or damage, shall be 

 branded number one. The next best quality, being not less than eL ven 

 inches, measuring as aforesaid, free from rust, taint, or damage, shall 

 be branded number two. Those that remain after the above selec- 

 tions, if free from taint or damage, and not less than thirteen inches, 

 measuring as aforesaid, shall be branded number three large. Those 

 of the next inferior quality, free from taint or damage, not less than 

 ten inches in length, as aforesaid, shall be branded number three. All 

 other mackerel, free from taint or damage, shall be branded number 

 four. 



"Sec. 2. The inspector-general shall not have any interest, directly or 

 indirectly, in the cure or packing of any pickled fish, except so far as a 

 faithful performance of his duty requires. 



"Sec. 3. The act in addition to an act regulating the inspection of 

 pickled fish, being the one hundred and fifty-fourth chapter of the stat- 

 utes of the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six ; the act 

 concerning the manufacture of barrels for pickled fish, being the forty- 

 second chapter of the statutes of the year one thousand eight hundred 

 and fifty four; and also so much of the third section of the twenty-eighth 

 chapter of the Eevised Statutes; as is inconsistent with this act, are 

 hereby repealed." 



In 1850 the following law was enacted in Massachusetts, requiring 

 that dutiable imported pickled fish be branded with the word "foreign.'' 

 This law was repealed by act April 1,1879. It had become quite unim- 

 portant, since nearly all fish requiring such branding were those from the 

 British provinces, which, by the treaty of Washington, had been ad- 

 mitted free of duty for several years. The law reads as follows : 



"Pickled fish of foreign catch, on which an import duty is laid by the 

 laws of the United States, which is brought into this State and here 

 inspected or reinspected, shall, in addition to the brand mentioned in 

 the preceding sections, be branded with the word 'foreign' on the head 

 of each cask, barrel, or package, in letters not less than one inch in 

 length, and separate and distinct from the other brands. 



"If an inspector of fish inspects or reinspects any fish of foreign catch 

 so imported and brought into this State, and refuses or neglects to com- 

 ply with the requirements of the preceding section, he shall forfeit and 

 pay for such refusal or neglect fifteen dollars for every cask, barrel, or 

 package so neglected." 



