The Minor Colonial Ports 



days before the Revolution it is necessary only 

 to quote from a report, dated February 2, 1791, 

 which Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, 

 made to the House of Representatives regarding 

 the whale and cod fisheries. A table in this 

 report shows the "State of the Whale Fishery 

 in Massachusetts from 1771 to 1775." It is the 

 only statistical record of the fishery for that 

 period, and it is as follows : 



From this it appears that Massachusetts owned 

 304 whalers. Crews numbered from 13 to 14 



