Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-02-05

THE FrsuISG B)uxrlEs.-We find in tie
Washington correspsnisnec Of the New York
Evening Post the following statement of facts
connected with the fisheries:
..Tae attempt to abolish the fishing boun-
ties is again revived by Il b.ll from the Senate
f,r the alb Dlition. which Iea, OF, is that th'
duty on salt has been reduced to almost
nothing, and therefore the only reason for
continuing tae bounty is removed, This MS
elmp.iol, that the b un was estlb.ished
IN rely as the most convenient IN ,thod of re-
funding the duties on silt, which the fisher
m n consumed in curing the fish which they
exported, has been made against the fixing
bounties at various periods, and has been
shown, as cl arly us history can show it, u
b, unfounid. The English and French st
tn, example very early Of giving these boun-
tic exprtssly for the encourlg IN mt Of the
e,mm rec aai to kce2it upas a nursery for
seanen.
The Flench have gently increased the
bounty con,ilera 'Iy. and the eract oft has
air iy bo,n appa e 1t ia the increl@el nam
b,r of vessels and men engaged in the trad;
Mr.. Jef,rsoa always advocated the bounty
q
,fsst ,r our fish ri e as nursery Of navigation.
The bountics sigcr were double what would
he the drawback on the salt consumed
When yer the bounties have been withheld
the fisheries have d 'c'ined. Whenever they
have been resumed, an increased activity in
the busin,ss has immcii ttely rcsp5nied-
In the last war with Great Britain the fish
-ermcn enlisted TO such an ext mt that the
fishing grounds were almost deserted, and
the previous bounty was doubled, and in
lSl9 was again increased. At times these
b)unties have been given without any refer
ence to or connection with salt du ties;at other
times the acts establishing or repeating the
duties ON lit, and those granting or abolish
ing the bounty, have been apparently passed
either by design or accident, with reference
10 each other.
Fortunately, the prOpositi N that the fish
cries cannot sustain themselves, and are OF
immesse importanc, to the country, is not
merely theery, but has been tested By ex-
gerience The fact that the business has al
WAYS iaAguished and decreased when the
bouaties have been taken off, shows that it
must b, encouraged or be abandoned, The
experience Of the war of 1912 shows what an
invaluable school of instruction we had
maintained, from which bold, hardy and skill
ful seamen rushed to enlist in the navy. and
to fight and win the battles which could not
h I'VE been won without them. The Coasti-
tution wasimanned bya crew from Gloucester
and Marblehead, when she made her memo
rlhle escare from the English deet, and
through all the glorious battles which render
the smallest piece of her old hull pre- ious
relic, the fishermen who had come from the
nursery which the bounty fosterod stood by
her quarters and manned her guns. The Mas
sachusetts prvateers were always manned by
fishermen. and rivalled the navy in the brill
lianey of their performances and the efieien-
cy of their service to the gorernma INT; and
now, while EngEud and France are giving
additional aid to the school which expert
cncc has taught them is 50 important that it
must be kept up, the COMMITTEES on Com
MERGE propose to discourage ana ruin it,