19 



District. Number of Vessels. Tonnage. 



Essex County 115 5,8^8.17 



Boston & Charlestowii 22 1,282.64 



Plymouth 18 762.19 



Barn.stablc 95 5,793.G8 



Nantucket 2 115 82 



Total Decrease, 252 13,292.50 



A loss of over one quarter of the whole fleet of 1873 (of 

 twenty tons burthen and upwards), throwing at least 2500 

 men out of active employment in the fishing vessels, with half as 

 many more at least on land, causes an annual loss in the bare 

 catch in the fisheries of Massachusetts of over one million 

 dollars, as compared with 1873, nearly one half of which comes 

 from Essex County. This is a loss yearly lo this State 

 alone of much more than the average yearly amount of the 

 fishery award paid by our Government, with the remitted 

 duties on Canadian fish added. 



In the five years previous to the " Reciprocity Treaty " of 

 1855, Gloucester, as well as all other fishing ports, shows a 

 large increase in valuation per capita ; a large falling off dur- 

 ing the time of that treaty ; an increase afterwards between 

 1866 and 1873, and again a large decrease under the " Wash- 

 ington treaty." Essex built less fishing vessels since the 

 Washington treaty, yearly, than it has any previous years 

 during the past forty, having built an average of 43 vessels 

 yearly between 1845 and 1855, and 14 yearly since the Wash- 

 ington treaty.* 



*16 Fishing Ports, including Gloucester, gained an aggregate average valuation 

 for each inhaljitant during the five years jirevious to the Reciprocity treaty, .§22 

 yearly, Between 1855 and 1?6';, during that treaty, §3.20 each, yearly. BetAveen 

 18(55 and 1870, after that treaty expired, their average gain was .$10. (iO each, 

 yearly. 13 ports, the others having changed to niaiuifacturing, had gained an 

 aggregate aver.age of ^lO.CM each, J'early. Between 1870 and 1875, they had gained 

 40 cents each, yt-arly, against an average gain of $6 to each inhabitant of the 

 •whole State; .since \875, losing. Gloucester has lost in aggregate average val- 

 uation, between 1873 and 1880 iuclu-ive, over $8, yearly, for each inhabitant. 



