HISTORICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 



633 



"The fishing vessels belonging to this district are not owned in the town of Newbnryport alone, but a portion of 

 them in the vicinity. In 180(5 the number of vessels belonging to the district employed in the Labrador fishery was 

 forty-five, and ten or fifteen more in the Bay fishery. These vessels averaged twelve men each, and caught in the sea- 

 sou 5,000 quintals of fish each. The mackerel fishery was then very small. The latter branch of our fisheries was 

 not commenced to any extent until the late war. The first vessel fitted out in this district to carry on the mackerel 

 fishing for the season was in 1815; but in 1819 the number of vessels so employed amounted to about thirty, and the 

 quantity of mackerel caught to about l. r >,000 barrels. The number of vessels employed in the year 1825 was seventy- 

 five, and the quantity of mackerel caught was 24,000 barrels. The average quantity of fish taken in the cod fishery, 

 by vessels belonging to this district, for the last ten years has been about 20,000 quintals, averaging about $50,000 in 

 value. This business probably employs three hundred men. The sum paid in this district for bounties for the year 

 1825 was $14,998. It Las been already stated that the amount of registered tonnage belonging to this town at present 

 (1826) was 7,503 tons; of enrolled, 12,991 tons. At former periods *ue case was reversed, and the tonnage registered 

 was much greater than the tonnage enrolled. From this it appears that the coasting and fishing business of the town 

 has much increased within a few years, and in proportion as the foreign commerce has diminished. The fishing busi- 

 ness has proved highly beneficial to the south part of the town and the contiguous parts of Newbury, where it is 

 chiefly carried on. This fact is apparent from the evidently improved appearance and increasing prosperity of that 

 quarter. Much as we have cause to lament the diminution of our foreign trade, still the prosperity of our fisheries, 

 and of the coastwise trade, is a subject of much greater gratulation." 1 



During the winter of 1816-17 the Mercantile Company of Newburyport was formed for prosecuting the Bank 

 fishery. The fleet comprised fifty-five schooners, four sloops, and one brig; total, sixty sail, aggregating 2,847 tons. 

 The largest vessel was 118 tons, and smallest, 8 tons. Although not considered a good year's work, $50,000 was paid 

 for interest, and 12 per cent, profit, or 18 per cent, on the capital invested. 



In 1817 Newburyport had a fleet of sixty-five vessels in the Labrador fishery, including sixty schooners, one brig, 

 and four sloops. 



In 1823 the fishermen of this port received $15,758.36 as bounty money. 



THE MACKEREL FISHERY IN 1829. On April 17, 1829, the first mackerel license was given, and in 1831 the largest 

 amount of mackerel ever put up at this port in one year 36,000 barrels was packed. 



THE WHALE AND FUU-SEAL FISHERIES IN 1833. A record of 1833 shows that some attention was paid to the whale 

 fishery, three vessels having been reported to have engaged in it for a few years, but no custom-house records can be 

 found substantiating that statement. The fur-seal fishery is also mentioned in the history of the port at this time 

 (1833), but there are few records showing the results of the fishery. 



Concerning both whale and fur-seal fisheries the following bears witness : 



"The whaling business at one time promised to become a permanent interest of Newburyport. In 1833 three 

 ships, the Merrimac, Navy, and Adeline, were engaged in the business, employing a hundred men or more, and the 

 next year another ship was added to the little fleet. The first efforts of the several whaling companies were suc'cess- 

 ful, but some temporary discouragements arising, the enterprise was abandoned, and the fortunes which were finally 

 made in the whale fishery went to build up the prosperity of other towns. The fur-seal fishery was also prosecuted 

 by citizens of Newburyport for some years, but that has also been abandoned." 3 



THE FISHING FLEET OF NEWBURYPOUT IN 1834 AND 1835. In 1834 the shipping interest of this port was repre- 

 sented by 207 sail, engaged iu coasting, foreign trade, and fishing; 124 sail were in the latter class, under mackerel or 

 cod license. 



In 1835 the following sail, mostly engaged in the mackerel fishery, were in the Newburyport fleet: 



This is the largest number under mackerel license for any one year. 



NEWBURYPORT FROM 1840 TO 1851. The year 1840 is noted as the opening of the railroad to this port, and the 

 year 1847 is celebrated by the introduction into Newburyport of the telegraph. 



The list of fishing vessels from the district of Newburyport in 1851 was officially given at ninety vessels, with a 

 total of 6,012 tons, and employing nine hundred and eighty-five men. The valuation of the vessels with their outfits 

 was eriimated at $211,900. Ninety of these engaged in the mackerel fishery. 



The year 1851 is also remembered as one of severe loss. On October 5 the fishing fleet, when off Prince Edward 

 Island, was caught in a gale, and eighteen vessels, with more than twenty men, were lost. During this year the 

 mackerel fleet landed at this port 21,202 inspected barrels. 



In the same year the port received its city charter, having a population of 12,864. At this time a large part of 

 the cod-fishing fleet took their fares off the coast of Labrador, from forty to fifty sail annually visiting that coast and 

 securing their fares with hook and line or seines. The latter were used in the harbor and shallow water near shore, 



1 Caleb Cashing: History of Newburyport. 1826, pp. 85, 86. 'History of Newburyport, by Mrs. E. Vale Smith, 1854, p. 223. 



