KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXVII 



the entire coast of California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, its 

 extreme northern range not being determined. It is not much esteemed 

 in its southern area of distribution, but in Washington Territory it is 

 very highly prized, being much sought by the Indians. It lives in deep 

 water, and can be caught on trawl-lines like the cod and halibut. We 

 owe to Mr. James G. Swan, of Port Townsend, Wash., the first suggestion 

 of the commercial and economical value of this fish for food purposes, and 

 he informs us that the fish is eaten both fresh and salted. Several hun- 

 dredweights of the salted fish were sent to the Commission by Mr. Swan, 

 and these were treated, at the suggestion of Mr. Wilcox, by smoking, 

 after which they were distributed to experts, who pronounced the fish 

 to be one of the best known to them. Especial interest was excited 

 among the fish dealers of Gloucester, Boston, and New York, and 

 several expressed the intention of sending some one to Washington 

 Territory for the purpose of effecting large catches of the fish for regu- 

 lar market treatment. 



18. — NEW MODEL OF FISHINa VESSEL. 



As stated elsewhere, Captain Collins, a member of the Commission, 

 is at present engaged in preparing the model of a fishing schooner to 

 combine the best points of the American and British vessels, and made 

 after studying the peculiar characters of both. It is proposed to ask 

 from Congress the means to build after this model, and should it be 

 generally followed, we may hope to witness a notable decrease in the 

 loss of life and property. In 1883 Gloucester had a fleet approximat- 

 ing 400 fishing vessels, carrying from 4,300 to 4,800 men. About one- 

 half to three-fourths of this fleet has been engaged in some branch of 

 the winter fisheries, the rest of the vessels being hauled up about five 

 months in the year. 



In the ten years from 1874 to 1883 the total loss of vessels was 147, of 

 which number 82 foundered at sea, 7 of the latter having been aban- 

 doned in a sinking condition. The total value of these vessels was 

 1735,126. The tobal loss of life was 1,233 men, 895 of whom went down 

 in their vessels, which foundered at sea. It is a little difficult to get at 

 the exact number of bereaved families that lost their natural protect- 

 ors, since for one or two years of the period under consideration accu- 

 rate record was not kept of the widows and fatherless children left by 

 these disasters at sea, and even if it had been it would not show how 

 many almost helpless parents were deprived of their only means of sup- 

 port. As near as a correct estimate can be obtained, and this is prob- 

 ably an underestimate, 322 women were made widows and 658 children 

 left fatherless by the disasters to the Gloucester fleet alone. Many of 

 these families were left in utter destitution. 



There can be but little doubt that upwards of 75 per cent of the ves- 

 sels lost at sea meet with an untimely fate simply because they are too 

 shallow 5 the consequence being that when caught in a gale they are 



