118 BULLETIN 908, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



Portugal show a slight increase during the last three years over the 

 first three years of this period. The value of the sardines imported 

 from Italy shows a notable increase during 1914, 1915, and 1916, 

 while little change in the values of the fish imported from Spain is 

 seen until 1915, when there was a decided decrease, followed in 1916 

 by a marked rise. 



The total importations from all countries reached, in round num- 

 bers, a value of $3,000,000 during 1914 and 1915. The total value 

 for 1915 was a little below that of 1914, owing to the great decrease 

 in the value of the French sardines imported in 1915. During 1916 

 the importations of sardines fell off over $1,000,000 in value. Nearly 

 90 per cent of this decrease was caused by the diminished importation 

 of Norwegian sardines. The embargo placed on the exportation of 

 Norwegian sardines by the Government of Norway at the close of 

 the year 1915 and the war conditions in the French sardine industry 

 practically eliminated these goods from this country. The price of 

 foreign sardines resulting from present conditions is practically pro- 

 hibitive for the domestic market, and only small quantities are 

 available at any price. 



Table 43. — Importations of fish -packed in oil. 1 



Country. 



France . . 

 Norway . , 

 Portugal. 



Italy 



Spain 



Value of imports. 



1910 



,317,940 



861,944 



346,036 



165, 903 



50, 943 



Total 2,742,766 



Total from Europe (in- 

 cluding all other coun- 

 tries) 2,982,475 



1911 



$707,644 



1,034,946 



303, 565 



191, 983 



40,427 



2, 278, 585 



2, 533, 218 



1912 



$495,903 

 947, 431 

 313, 420 

 143, 541 

 39,025 



1,939,320 



2,079,002 



1913 



$634, 162 



1, 199, 850 



477,310 



154, 451 



42, 262 



2,508,035 



2,659,074 



$700,984 



1,427,318 



536, 451 



255, 589 



42,369 



2,982,711 



3,178,000 



$446, 434 



1, 662, 609 



517, 407 



251, 383 



23,145 



2,901,978 



2,996,596 



1916 



$359, 701 



741, 697 



334, 467 



340,000 



50, 573 



1,826,438 



1,911,346 



i For the years ending June 30, 1910 to 1916. From Annual Reports on Commerce and Navigation of 

 the United States, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of Commerce. Duties 

 under the present tariff are levied on a class of goods packed "in oil." While it is recognized that there 

 are a few articles, such as anchovies, etc., which would be included in the statistics gathered from this 

 source, it is believed that by far the greater part of the values reported is due to oil sardines. The table 

 is given for the purpose of indicating as closely as it is possible to do the business done in foreign sardines 

 in this country. 



OUTLOOK FOR THE MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 



The volume of foreign sardines handled (Table 43) indicates the 

 possibility of increasing the business in grades of domestic sardines of 

 a quality capable of giving them an entrance to this market and hold- 

 ing the greater portion of it now that the supply of the foreign 

 article is practically cut off (1916). The trade and the consumer 

 should not expect a domestic sardine of exactly the same excellence as 

 the French article, for several factors mitigate against it. 



In the first place, the pilchard, from which the French sardine is 

 made, is generally conceded to be the most desirable in point of size, 



