2286 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



themselves in as middlemen. Some are not producers at all, but do this 

 business, and employ their own men, and buy on commission. 



Q. After the mackerel are landed, there is a class of men who pre- 

 pare the mackerel for market which adds to the expense of the mack- 

 erel? A. Yes. 



Q. Can you give the product of the Gloucester fisheries for any year? 

 A. I have a printed statement here with me, which I believe to be as 

 nearly correct as can be obtained. This printed return, which was made 

 last January, shows the producMast year; I cannot vouch for its accu- 

 racy, but to the best of my knowledge I believe it to be about correct. 



Q. Read it. A. It is as follows : 



The estimated products of the fisheries of the District of Gloucester for the year 1876 were 

 as follows : 425,000 quintals codfish, $2,295,000 ; 101,032 barrels mackerel, 8909,000 ; 30,000 

 barrels herring, $127,500; 40,000 quintals other dry fish than cod, 8120,000; shell-fish, 

 $10,000; 11,000,000 pounds fresh fish, $745,000; 275,000 gallons fish oil, $132,000; 

 2,750,000 pounds smoked halibut, $275,000; 8.000 tons fish manure, $25,000; miscella- 

 neous, $10,000 ; total value, $4,648,500. 



Q. You were one of the committee which carried this petition to 

 Congress against the Washington Treaty ? A. 1 was there at the time 

 on the committee. 



Q. I will read you an extract from the petition which contains an 

 estimate of the value of the fish product in 1870. It is as follows: 



That this picture is not overdrawn, let the following figures testify : Since the abrogation 

 of the Reciprocity Treaty, and the repeal of the bounty laws, and the establishment of a duty 

 of $2 per barrel on mackerel and 50 cents per one hundred pounds on dried fish imported 

 into the United States, the business of fishing, thus protected even, has been by no means so 

 remunerative as to encourage a large increase of the fishing fleets in the hands of those 

 engaged in catching fish alone. 



The product of the fisheries in 1870 was $14,000,000 



To secure this product the cost of provisions and salt,'and the expenses of 1,800 

 vessels averaging 50 tons each (90,000, tons), at $3,000 for each vessel 



were 5,580,000 



Cost of 500,000 barrels 500, OOJ 



Labor on shore, packing and curing fish 750, 000 



Earnings of 20,000 fishermen at $330 each, for the season ... 6, 600, 000 



Interest on capital invested. $11,000,000 660,000 



$14, 090, 000 



Without estimating at all the depreciation in the vessels themselves. 



During this year the product cost $90,000 more than it brought in the market the $750,000 

 spent among packers and curers, the large sums also spent of the above amount in outfit- 

 ting, constituting all the benefit derived by those who were engaged in supplying fish to 

 those who endeavor to control the markets. 



Q. You believe that statement is correct ! A. I helped to make it up. 



Q. You don't consider the fish in the water of any value at all ? A. 

 No. 



Q. The value of the fish is what you expend on it ? A. All the labor 

 expended on it. 



Q. You would not put any commercial value on either codfish or 

 mackerel in the water? A. No; there is none. 



Q. You say you are also engaged in halibut fishing ? A. Yes. 



Q. There is a very large amount of halibut fishing carried on from 

 Gloucester ? A. Considerable ; we supply the market as far as we can. 



Q. Do you know of any halibut fishing ou the United States coast, 

 except from Gloucester, of any consequence ? A. No ; a small amount 

 is done by the town of New London, which runs a few vessels. 



Q. You have had vessels engaged in that fishery ? A. Yes ; but I 

 have not any this year. 



Q. You know where the vessels go to fish ? A. Yes. 



