466 GEOGRAPHICAL EEVIEW OP THE FISHERIES. 



Of the total number of tougmen there are 5,906 colored and 2,954 whites, while of those 

 employed on the larger vessels only 1,792 are colored. The total number of each race engaged iu 

 the trade is, of whites, 6,538 and of colored 7,698. 



Tonging in Virginia is probably equally as profitable as iu Maryland, but there is more time 

 wasted by the tongmen of the former State than by those of the latter. This is explained by the 

 fact that the proportion of negroes is larger in Virginia than in Maryland, and these people are 

 more generally inclined to be indolent than the whites. There were many cases last winter where 

 tougmeu made as high as $500 during the season, but their number is comparatively small when 

 the total number of those engaged in this occupation is taken into account. A close estimate of 

 the average amount made during a season by each touger would give $200, or $25 less than the 

 average amount made in Maryland. Calculating on this estimate, it will be seen that the earnings 

 of the tongmen of Virginia will yearly aggregate about $1,772,000. Those employed on the 

 running vessels receive during an oyster season of eight mouths $1,022,172, including their board. 



The canoes used in Virginia are much smaller and less costly than those in Maryland their 

 average value being about $50. At this rate their total value at present is $224,050. The larger 

 vessels, exclusive of those owned in Norfolk County, average about 16.13 tons; but when the large 

 number owned in the latter county is considered, the average is considerably reduced and amounts 

 to only about 10 tons making the total 13,170 tons. The aggregate value of these vessels is about 

 $790,200, and the amount of money annually expended in repairing them is iu the neighborhood of 

 $125,000. 



A large part of the running trade in Virginia is conducted by boats owned in Maryland and 

 in northern cities; but as the statistics of these have already appeared in the Maryland report, it 

 is needless to repeat them here. 



PACKING. The packing trade of Virginia is of much later origiu than that of Maryland. 

 About the year 1859 a Captain Fitzgerald opened an oyster-packing establishment in Norfolk ; 

 but the war coming on, in a few years the business was greatly hampered and restricted, and it 

 was not until 1865 that the trade gave any evidence of ever becoming very extensive. As the 

 transportation facilities of the city increased, and the ill effects of the war began to die out, the 

 oyster trade showed a very marked improvement, and during the last few years it has developed 

 very rapidly. In Norfolk, as in Baltimore and other cities of Maryland, the trade is largely in the 

 hands of northern men; one difference, however, being quite noticeable, and that is, that whereas 

 iu Maryland the packers are principally natives of Connecticut, in Norfolk they are nearly all 

 either New York or Boston men. The enterprise and capital of these gentlemen has largely 

 developed this business, which now forms one of the most important branches of Norfolk's trade. 

 The increase iu the packing trade of Norfolk has been instrumental in decreasing the shipments of 

 oysters in shell by sail vessels from the bay to New York and Boston, as these two cities receive 

 by means of the Old Dominion Line and the Merchants' and Miners' Transportation Company's 

 lines the great bulk of Norfolk oysters. This important change in the course of trade has been 

 very beneficial to Norfolk, as the shucking and handling of the oysters give employment to a large 

 number of workmen. The trade of Norfolk has, however, beeu greatly restricted by the scarcity 

 of oysters. During the early spring months of 1880 packers were unable to fill orders on account 

 of the inability to obtain the oysters. During one of my visits to that city I found that for several 

 weeks the entire receipts had been less than could easily have been used by any one of the large 

 houses. Had it not been for this scarcity, which was felt to some extent during a large part of the 

 .season, it is quite probable that the packing trade would have consumed several hundred thousand 

 bushels more of oysters. The trade of Norfolk is almost exclusively in raw oysters there 



