The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-22
TIVE SEAL AND COD FISHERIES OF NEWFOUNDLAND.

The Annual Amount Of Fish Caught BY
Americans, French and Engiish-The Men
who Catch the Fish and tho Men who Buy
them-Trip 70 the Fishing Station Of Portu-
gal Cove-The Seal FIsheries-How they
are Conducted-Process OF Curing Goldfish,
&c., &C., &c.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
have already, though somewhat briefly, alluded to
the great importance OF the fisheries Of Newfoundland
and the immense wealth that derived from them year
y In fact the greater portion of the population OF the
island depend upon them Tor their subsistence and enc
years failure in the supply would be attended with the
most effects The southern eastern and western
coasts are studded with little villages whose inhabitants
live almost entirely by fishing, while the only portions OF
the island that have been placed under cultivation are
small tracts in the vicinity of St Johns and other large
towns. The soil, however il OF the hes. description
and long fishing continues lucrative az II is,
long viii those parts of Newfoundland remain in their
present wild and unculvated state. The interior Of the
country is terra nogid exceptto wandering tribes OF
Mic Mac Indians who derive rather pre- ,arious subsis
from hunting and fishing 1t is sad that it rich in
mineral productions and its peculiar geological formation
well the partial explorations that have been made
strong arguments in favor Of the truth Of such
assertion. Coal "copper" iron and silver have been found
and the Indications present strong inducements for min
employed by the company, states that he discovered
peculiar description Of grain which appeared to be in
dgenous the soil 1t grew to the height OF four and
FIVE feet and had long broad leaf somewhat similar to
that Of the maize Indian corn, while the bore
strong resemblance to wheat The soil in which 1t
found of the worst description and every way unfa
vorable the growth Of all other kinds Of grain fact
which would render 1t particularly valuable and its dis
covery of the greatest mpoi ance not Newfound
land, but to the whole world. l should remark, how
ever, that in its wild state the grain too
small to be fit for use, and that before it can be
decided upon article Of food 1t will have
to be submitted to the test Of careful and scien
dc cultivation. Whatever may be the future condition
of Newfoundland agricultural country, it would
be foolish to attempt TO predict but in regard to
its fisheries shall state few facts, which, to those
quainted with them, win absolutely incredible.
1t is nothing unusual, have been informed for
chants to realize in the of season. much
one hundred thousand dollars from the and cod fish
cries. and this has been done with capital varying from
thirty to seventy eighty thousand From estimate
Of the yearly exports appears that the value of the
cod SEAL herring, and salmon caught along the shores
in the yicipio the island amounts to about thirteen
millions of dollars, which divided among the Amer
cans English and French in the following proportions:
Americans. 00o 0oo
rns'1h''' 'oiooo
Total Sl3, COO, 600
The cod fisheries of Newfoundland date far back
the commencement of the sixteenth century when the
Spanish French and Portuguese had lage number OF
vessels employed in them 1t not till the beginning
Of the following century that England eng ,ged in them
any great extent. In 1915 she had two hundred and
Fifty ships while the French Spanards and Portuguese
had four hundred Between the French and the English
there has always existed the greatest Jealousy this
subject and the latter have exeted themselves TO the
utmost to exclude such dangerous rivals from the
privileges with themselves The possession, however Of
the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon has given them
great advantages and enabled them compete
fully with the English while the Portuguese Span
iafds have almost wholly abandoned the fisheries.
1t might naturally be supposed that st. Johns which
is the residence Of the merchants who deal in fish, and
which also exports large proportion Of the pro.
duct Of the whole Island, would be of the
wsshiest cities in the British Provinces, but this is
lar from being the case--hardy one-fourth Of the
mount realized being expended in it. In this respect il
Is subject to the evils Of the colonial system of England
which drains lis dependencies of their substance and vi
,aity the support the arsocraey and royalty in
the mother country The majority OF the merchants
English, who have further interest in the country
than the accumulation of sufciens wealth enable
them 10 live at home in magnifcence Fortunes varying
nom one hundred thousand dollars to and two mil
lions have been from the labors OF the poor fish
cfmeD ana taken out OF the country. IL must be &C
Spowlet ged however, that the fishermen to a con
siderable degree themselves censurate for their present
condition as they exceedingly improyident and
UNFAIRLY place Themselves in the OF the merchants
Duipg the season expert hand sufficient TO
support himself and family for the remainder of the
but me money which is so easily obtained is as
spent and he finds himself Obliged to live upon credit for
several months. In this way he places himself in a
state Of dependency upon the merchant who purchases
his sb and who is always willing TO supply him with
whatever provisions he may want. Thus the merchant
having him completely in his power charges an exort
him the lowest possible sum Tor his fish. g far as
have been able to learn, although DESTROYS Of revolu
ton in this respect they have with very few excep
tons neither the energy the sefreliauce the
nomy necessary to bring 1t about. Those have
versed with expressed the wish that the
Americans would purchase their fish, believing they
would deal more literally with them than the English
In fact, take them class, they favorable
our countrymen, and would hail their appearance in st.
Johns the beginning Of in their history II
must not be supposed, however, that they alto
ge'her discontented with their present condition,
for although their life IL of peril and hardshps il is
iull OF attractions to them.
St Johns, as have stated, is the principal fish depot
on the southeastern part Of the island and is the resi-
dence of the principal merchants: but there large
number OF fishing towns and villages in its vicinity.
Among these is the romantic and picturesque village OF
cudi-Nid which has population Of from three TO four
hundred. The harbor Is about six hundred yards in
length between two and three hundred feet wide and il
surrounded BY hills which rise to height Of four hun
dred feet above the level Of the The entrance
The is through deep cut in the mountain, and The
channel or passage is only wide enough for fishing
without and the whole coast lined with breakers that
dash the spray half the bleak sides Of the
tain barrier everything Is at rest completely is it
sheltered from the elements Here too in this quiet
little village shut out from all knowledge of the
bury world three four generations Of have lived
and died. their sole occupation fishing for cod along the
shore within two three miles Of their huts hunt
ing the seal among the icebergs of the coasts Of New
foundlsnd and Labrador. Portugal Cove, fishing sta
ton with population OF between and two thousand,
Is situated about ten miles TO the north Of st. Johns
The road to IL lies through magnificent tract Of
try diversified with all the beauties Of mountain like
and river. We had heard great deal about Portugal
Cove ever since arrival, and made up minds to
visit It before departure Having procured wagon
from Mr. Tnussaint, the wellknown proprietor Of the
Hotel de Paris, who kindly volunteered TO act
guide started early in the morning, and in the course
or couple II hours reached our place OF destination.
Three or Tour miles from St. Johns within night Of
twenty mile pond which OF the finest sheets Of water
in this part Of the island Its shores covered with
dense woods extending down to the waters edge
except aScut mile u Its southern extremity, where
fine beach of saud and pebbles haeen formed The road
extends for about mile along the borders Of this Lake.
and then leads away off among the mountains from the
H. Ill