[21] WORK OF FISTT COilMTSRTON STEAMER ALBATROSS. 137 



10. Moderate southerly winds. 



20. To the head of navigation. 



" Ourfishing-ground is from Feu wick's Shoal to Hereford light. There 

 are very few fish caught inside Cape Henlopen, the strong tide prevent- 

 ing. Sharks are very numerous and troublesome ; they are of the sand 

 and mackerel species. At present, fish are more plentiful than I have 

 seen them for twenty years." 



The two njeuhadeu factories at the breakwater are new, having been 

 put up the present season. 



On July iO, off Sandy Hook, the following replies were received upon 

 boarding a fisherman, viz : 



1. Sloop Mary E. 



2. Greeuport, N. Y. 



3. W. Downs. 



4. Yes. 



5. Small menhaden. 



6. Tenth of May ; off Sandy Hook and the Highlands. 



7. About 10 miles iu 24 hours. 

 S. From 7 to 9 fathoms. 



9. There nre no sharks here. 



10. Eight: liundred thousand. 



11. Two million. 



12. Four millions. 



13. Daniel- Yail. 



14. Six millions. 



15. Length, 150 fathoms; mesh, 2^ incbes. 

 IG. One season. 



17. None of consequence. 



18. Nine men. 



19. Southerly and westerly weather. 



20. Amboy. 



On the same date Captain Almy visited three factories that were in 

 operation at Port Monmouth, jST. J. The first one visited was owned 

 by Daniel Vail, who made the following statement, viz: 



" We have been in operation one year and employ three gangs. We 

 have caught this year up to date 3,500,000 fish. The total catch last year 

 was 4,000,000. The first fish this season were received on April 24, 

 and were caught in a pound. The first fish caught iu a i>urse seine 

 were taken on the 16th of May. The average amount of oil realized 

 was one gallon to the thousand. The bay fish leave here about tlu^ 20th 

 of October. The other fish caught are those working to the southwaid 

 through the sound. About 50,000 menhaden are used daily for blue- 

 fish bait. Very few edible fish are taken with the menhaden. The 

 principal food-fishes taken in this locality are weakfish, bluefish, round 

 mackerel, shad, and butter fish. I have not noticed any scarcity of 

 food-fishes iu the last twenty years. I believe that the fish make their 



