sponge Fisheries of the Mediterranean. 193 



inferior fine quality. Of the common sponges there is one 

 in four of a first quality ; the rest are of a second or 

 common quality. Of the coarse, one-half are of a first 

 quality, and the other half of a second quality. Thus, 

 it will be seen that the fine, common, and coarse kinds 

 of sponges may be divided into two qualities each. 



The total imports of sponge into Great Britain in 1840 

 were 78,500 lbs. ; in 1841, 58,931 lbs. ; in 1855, 471,871 lbs. 

 The quantity and value of the imports of sponge into 

 the United Kingdom since have been as follows : — 





Quantity, 

 lbs. 



... 544,882 ... 



Computed value. 



1862 ... 



... ;^IOO,204 



1863 ... 



••• 474,748 ... 



77,907 



1864 ... 



... 540,172 ... 



60,278 



1865 ... 



... 694,128 ... 



103,780 



1866 ... 



... 895,369 ... 



96,768 



1867 ... 



... 980,259 ... 



86,201 



1868 ... 



... 997,447 - 



... 119,917 



1869 ... 



... 1,221,673 ••• 



... 156,965 



1870 ... 



... 837,159 ... 



160,162 



No return published since. 



The following is the French classification of commer- 

 cial sponges : — 



Fine soft Syrian. 



Archipelago. 

 Fine hard, of Syria, known as Chimousse. 

 Yellow sponge of Syria, known as fine venise. 



of the Archipelago, known as common venise. 

 Hen sponge of Barbary. 

 Brown sponge of Barbary, called Marseilles. 

 Salonica sponge. 



Lastly, the Bahamas and American sponges, which are divided into fine and 

 common. Their tissue is loose, without elasticity, and hence they are 

 easily torn. They, sell at a low price. 



In the ten years ending i860, the sale of sponge in 



o 



