New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-23
A New Article of Commerce.

A New Article of Commerce.
iii Professor b. JAEGER, in Lecture which he re-
Gently delivered on Zoology, made some remarks
| IN relation 10 the Sturgeon, which, IN CONNER
/ ria point Of view, we regard as highly important
Oar report Of the Lecture is confined only to
ihjs one subject The Lecturer said:
Among the great varieties Of the natural produc
lions of the United States are many which could con
.derably increase the wealth Of the Nation but which
have until now entirely escaped The attention OF the
mercantile world. 1t is indeed singular, that we ne
elect TO make use of an article, which we have in
abundance before eyes, and by the commerce Of
which other nations gain millions every year
III speak here of the Sturgeon, fish Of large size
which enters our rivers in numberless quantities. Ike
chad and herring as in the Potomac. Delaware iiud
son and above al, the Kenuebec, and Of which very
little use is made in this country
This fish is found only in North America but also
N the rivers which empty into the Black aud Caspian
seas Is well as in the Oby and other streams Of
siberia
The principal Sturgeon fisheries are without doubt
those on the Volga near Astracan and those the
Don which are carried chiefly by the Cossacks OF
that country who ind their occupation much more
Lucrative than agriculture which they neglect entirely
m spite of the very fertile soil Of their lands.
This fish forms an important object of fishery and
commerce TO many nations. well for its flesh as for
the caviar prepared from its and the nglass from
tie swimming bladder. Tne City of Astracan exports
every wear several thousand OF picked Sturgeon
and Caviar for consumption IN the Russian Empire, and
odessa much larger quantities Tor Greece ay FRANCE
and the other parts OF Europe.
The Sturgeon asccnds the rivers sometimes 100 miles
II from their mouth Its length Is generally feet eno
It's weight 200 lbs but It ia sometimes the case that
some are found which weigh 800 lbs and IN Norway
one was caught which weighed 1000 los. When the
catching Of the surgeons on the Ooy the olga JsiK
and Don begins there arrive at those places from tne
remotest parts OF the Russian Empire considerable
number merchants, who purchase the nsh and pre-
mare them Tor transportation. The average price oil
one fsh without the and swimming bladder, Is
generally 81 large one, which weighs over 2vO los
4 sold al from To So and contains 40 lbs caviar or
| prepared roe, which is sold for 81 80
The flesh is tat very paataoie, ana much better IN
the summer after the th has been some time Ia fresh
water That which is not eaten fresh Is Gu. into large
slices sailed peppered broiled' and put IN barrels
where it is preserved in vinegar and Mt ior transport
4 considerable quantity of their flesh is smoked The
wholsalc price of picked Sturgeon IL from 80 to 81
hundred weight The Caviar prepared IN three dner'
ent manners los of salt added to 10 lbs of roe
and dried upon mats in the sun The price OF 40 lbs is
81 2 $40 10 salt are mixed with i0bs OF roe, then
dried upon sleves and pressed into barrels
This s cold for little more s. Inc best caviar Is Una.
when the roe put into sacks made OF tow cloth and
left for some "A strong pickle These sacks are
then suspended in order 10 let the salt waery substance
run ef and finally squeezed, after when the roe is
|
roe of which 40 lbs sold for 81 30 at the place IL
that which s all Asia and EVope as eonsd
cradle article OF commerce, ana known oy the name oil
| Caviar and is eaten with bread like cheese.
Another very profitable part OF the Sturgeon is the
/ swimming bladder of which lsinglass IL made FOR
this purpose it is cut open, washed and the slVery
sutinous skin exposed to the air for some hours 10y
which process IL easily be separated from the eN
erna skin which is of no use. This gUtinous skn Is
placed between wet cloths and shortly alter eacn piece
rolled up and fastened in serpentne form on board
they partly dry they are hung up on strings in
This valuable and extensive article Of commerce is
the sngass of shops and II Is sold there iOI about
so hundred weight
There ismade lsnglsss also from the swimming bad
der catfish and Of some others but as this very
inferior 10 that from the sturgeon, II brings scafceN
$40 hundred weight
The surgeon is found in immense quantities in the
United states and North America from Virginia up 70
the highest habitable northern lanudes, where they
ascend the rivers from 800 10 500 miles up The POio
mac, Delware, Hudson and principally The hennebee
well many other rivers, contain such quantity OF
surgeons that from those rivers alone without count
nl those farther north of Maine, according TO my cal
cuaou the annual eNpor; Of picked sturgeon. caviar
and isingass alone would be worth nearly half million
of dollars Picked Sturgeon and Caviar Is iayortc
food OF the descendants of spain and Portugal in South
America well as of the inhabitants of the West India
Islands principally during Lent and ising lass would be
an article oil home consumption as Wen as Tor the
4 European market
But the sturgeon is very favorite dish in our
country il brings scarcely cents a pound in the
thrown away Our'hshormen are therefore not much
Encouraged in catching those fishes though according
Ito careful observations from 30 900 % 10000 Surgeons
Icould De annually caught in the Of the United States
/ There are found two species OF Surgeons IN our
rivers viz let The round nOsed sturgeon, which Is
reperay feet or more long and weighs over POO los
land % The shsrpnoscd Sturgeon which Is seldom
,nore than feet long and weighs about 100 los or
imorc The Sturgeon highly appreciated by the
sncient Romans and Greeks IL was the principal dsh
Let all great dinner parties and Cicero reproschfd the
epcures on account of their spending go much money
or this fish Pny says that this sh was served al the
most sumptuous tables, and always carried by ser
wants crowned with garlands OF flowers. and accom-
panied by band Of musicians. And, even al TINS TIME
one pound OF fresh Sturgeon costs 81 IN Rome wAeFe
This hsh Is very rare. ,,,
leave this subject the judgment OF our intelligent
merchants TO profit by opportunity TO increase the
Town wealth and that of the community, by introducing
this new article of commerce
| MAJOR BRooKs-We are happy to learn mat
Jour fellow to~nsman Major Brooks, oiihe United ststes
IArmy has returned 20 Boston Major Brooks Is Dos
ton boy the son OF Mrs Maria Brooks the a1horcss OF
lZophel and has been in the army for many years lie
twss In every action Of troops from Vera Cruz 10
Mexico. and was honorable mentioned by General
bankhead for services st Vera Cruz by General Worth
ior his conduct at Contreres prominent al Mono
del Rey particularly noticed by General Scott as com