FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 227 



Gloucester's Exhibition at the Centennial. 



The Fishery Exhibit made by this city at the Centennial, at Philadelphia, 

 in 1876, gave much satisfaction to the thousands who witnessed it, and 

 this, together with the distribution of the five thousand copies of the Cen- 

 tennial Pamphlet giving a full description of the fishing industry and the 

 relation which Gloucester sustained as the largest fishing port in the United 

 States, undoubtedly resulted beneficially in a business point of view. Mr. 

 Edward King, the able and interesting Centennial correspondent of the 

 Boston "Journal," wrote the following account of the Gloucester exhibit, 

 which was published in the columns of that paper, and we are pleased to 

 reproduce it in the pages of "The Fishermen's Own Book": 



" In the vicinity of the Aquarial Department in the Agricultural Hall the 

 city of Gloucester has erected a tank 23 by 12 feet, filled with, water, in 

 which correct models of the fishing fleet of the old and new times are afloat, 

 illustrating the different branches of the fisheries. In one corner is the old 

 'cob wharf of Revolutionary years, with its primitive appliances, and the 

 odd, quaint 'pinkies' lying beside it. Opposite it is a model of the massive 

 and durable pile wharves, such as are built in Gloucester in 1.876, ten times 

 as large as the old ones. On this the fishermen are shown at work packing 

 mackerel. All the appliances of fishing wharves are exhibited. Ranged 

 about in the little harbor are models of all the various improvements in fish- 

 ing craft, from 1800 down to the present time. The old Manchester, a fa- 

 mous fisher in her day, built about the beginning of this century, is exhibited 

 in model. The Manchester is still in existence, and is now. in the carrying 

 trade somewhere 'down East.' The 'bankers' that go to Georges Bank, 

 the 'seiners' and the 'market boats' are all shown, and a practical model 

 gives a very correct idea of the setting of a mackerel seine. 



" In addition to the exhibit in this tank there is a fine collection of objects 

 belonging to the fisheries, or of curiosities collected during the voyages. 

 The quadrant, made in 1761, and used by Capt. Isaac Day over a century 

 ago, is shown ; near it stands an hour-glass still older. There is also a cu- 

 rious substance resembling branch coral, which is said to have been fished 

 up in one hundred and fifty fathoms of water by a 'banker.' Here, too, are 

 seen all the appliances which make the fishing vessel of to-day a palace 

 compared with its rude prototype of a century ago. 



"Gloucester maintains her position as first among fishing ports proudly. 

 Every year more and more direct trade comes to her ; and she still controls 

 her market even on the Pacific coast, sending great quantities of fish to 



