The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-06-19

blank, or worse than blank
will be more than balanced by the next
turn Of the wheel; and he is cheered on
by the knowing ones, who have dlScov,
cred numerous signs Of good season
coming hard winter, bad roads, and
other never failing slgns--bu, they fail
How did you make out fishing this
spring! Well, considering the season
dld not do so bad; | did not make any
thing, nor did not lose any thing. In
deed You did wonders considering the
season; there are not MANY that can say |
as You do. Another will say, | am sew
eral hundred dollars out, but then added |
that much to my property, SO that did
Mt lose any thing-but this money add,
ed To the property is never realized, and
after a while the property is worn ont
and then he finds how the case stands.
Tn" fishing business has been a great
auxiliary to the progress ot drunken.
ncs>,-it has been the school IN which
many confirmed drunkards have gradu-
ated.
| have Tor many years entertained
the opinion that the decline of the fish
cries on the Chesapeake was attributable,
in part, at least, to the gillng ope ratlons
in those waters.
EeIs are attracted TO the gilling grounds
in vast quantities, and have become so
numerous, that fish are no sooner en-
tangled in the nets, than they are attack
ed by the GELS, which prey not only on
the fish in the nets, but they eat up the
spawn, deposited in those waters, for the
propagation OF the species. TO what
ever cause the decline is attributable,
there is no doubt of The fac, that the
fisheries have been gradually declining
for a number years, and must BE- aban-
doned, as men will not continue to fish
with certainty of loss.
The herring is the Ciupea harcngu,
in the language of LlnnRus, and is too
familiar to require description.
In regard to the herring fishery of
Europe it is stated in the Penny Maya
zine, that the behring's are found from
the highest northern latitude as low as
the northern coast of France. Their
great winter rendezvous is within the
arctic circle, where they continue for
many months in order to recruit them
selves after the fatigues of Spawning.
They begin to appear oil the Shetland
Islands in April and May; but the great
81,
advance is marked by the approach of
numerous birds of prey. The main
body is so broad and deep As to alter the
appearance of the very ocean; it is d.
videG into columns of five or six miles
in length, and three or four in breadth,
and they drive the water before them
with kind of ripping. Sometimes
they sink for ten or fifteen minutes. and
then rise again to the surface; and IN fine
weather they reflect a variety of splendid
coIors, like field Of the most precious
gems.
According to Prnnant, the annual
shoal Of behring's is first divided in its
course southwark by the Shetland Is.
lands; on meeting which, one wing
takes the eastern, the other TO the west
eln shores of Great Britain, each scpe-
rate shoal being guided by leader of
angcr SIZE than the ordinary fish. Those
which take towards the west, after offer
ing themselves to the Hrbridcs, where
the great stationary fishery is, proceed
to the north of Ireland when they meet
with second interruption, and are
obliged TO make second division; the
one takes TO the western side, and is
scarcely perceived, being soon lost in
the Atlantic, but the other which passes
into the Irish Sea, feeds the inhabitants
of most Of the coasts that border on it.
The divisions, however, are capricious
in their notions, and do not show an in
variable attachment TO their haunts.
The importance of the British herring
fishery has been much overrated Mr.
McCulloch has remarked that the exag-
gcrated estimates which have been cur.
rent with respect to the extent md value
of the Dutch fishery have contributed
very much to the diffusion of false no.
tlons on this head. He doubts whether
the Dutch fishery ever afforded employ
ment to more than $4,000 individuals
although the Encyclopedia Britannia
has stated the number employed at 49,
600. Various attempts have been made
to extend the British fishery by boun-
ties, and TO so extravagant pitch was
this system at one period carried, tina,
in the year 1859, the almost incredible
sum of L 1863 Is. Cd. was paid as boun.
sy upon every barrel of merchandise
herrings that was produced; and, a.
Adam Smith says, vessels were conse
quently sent out not TO catch behring's
but to catch the bounty. The system
of bounties was brought to an end in the
year 1880. According to the oflicia
account for that year, the total quantity