THE RENAISSANCE OF THE FISHERIES 141 



quintals, was sent to markets in the West Indies, and 144,- 

 493 quintals were sent to continental Europe. Spain took 

 seventy-six per cent of the latter amount. France took 

 none. 



In 1807, the total exports were 473,924 quintals. Fifty- 

 six per cent of this, or 268,332 quintals, went to the West 

 * Indies; 192,981 quintals were sent to Europe. France 

 and Spain took eighty-eight per cent of this amount, the 

 exports to France exceeding those to Spain by less than 

 4,000 quintals. In 1816, the total exports, now on the in- 

 crease again after the depressions caused by the Embargo 

 Act of 1807 and the second war with Great Britain, were 

 219,991 quintals, the West Indies again taking fifty-six 

 per cent. France consumed forty-five per cent of the 

 89,192 quintals sent to Europe. The average price per 

 quintal for exported fish during these years ranged from 

 $3.25 to $4.80. The pickled fish that were exported were 

 usually sent to the West Indies for the negroes. 



An account of the fisheries of Marblehead during the 

 early part of the century gives an excellent description of 

 the course of exports at that time. "The fisheries of 

 Marblehead were most profitable during the first six or 

 eight years of the century. An immense quantity of cod- 

 fish was then exported to France, Spain, and the West 

 Indies, if not to other countries, and those exportations 

 were made mostly in the winter in vessels that had been 

 fishing in the summer, some going direct from the banks 

 to foreign ports. To Spain the fish were carried as often 

 wet as dry, but that sent to the West Indies was always 

 well dried and packed in casks or * drums/ As a general 

 thing, no return cargoes were brought from Spain. The 

 fish sold at Bilboa and other Spanish ports were paid for 

 in doubloons, and our vessels would often proceed to the 

 Cape de Verde Islands and there purchase cargoes of salt. 

 From France we receive our pay in silks, wines, olive oil, 



