76 THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES. 



Fish-cargoes vary greatly in extent, according to the 

 burden of the vessels employed in the trade. To Brazil 

 they range from 2400 to 3500 drums ; to the West Indies 

 from 350 to 600 casks ; to England and Spain, and the 

 Mediterranean ports, from 2500 to 5000 quintals. Nearly 

 all the cod-liver oil finds a market in England. 



The fish and fish products exported from Newfound- 

 land in 1873 were of the value of 7,569,497 dollars, or, 

 in round numbers, XI, 5 15, 000. We are referring here 

 to their value in Newfoundland ; their value in foreign 

 markets it is difficult to estimate, from the great differ- 

 ences existing in price, and the variations of the demand ; 

 but allowing that the trader was content with a profit of 

 one-fifth, the total realized would be 1,800,000. Pro- 

 bably it is no exaggeration to say, if we include the local 

 consumption, and the captures of the French and American 

 fishermen, that the Newfoundland fisheries add to the 

 wealth of the civilized nations engaging in them an annual 

 sum of 3,000,000. 



We have omitted to mention a portion of the cod-fish 

 which figures in the island's exports namely, "cod- roes." 

 What, the reader will ask, can be made of these 1 We 

 answer : the roe is pickled, barrelled, and exported almost 

 entirely to France, where it is in great demand for ground- 

 bait in the sardine-fishery. Here a digression is neces- 

 sary. We shall have to speak of sardines in due course, 

 but we may record that no fewer than 13,000 boats on 

 the coast of Brittany are employed in the capture of 

 sprats, young herrings, and young pilchards, which are 

 duly cured and tin-cased as sardines. It is estimated 

 that 10,000,000 of the well-known hermetically sealed 

 tin boxes are annually sent from Brittany to all parts of 



