Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-08-07

Vulnerable beds exhausted, unless something is
done for their protection from who de-
struction. The supply from the bay is on the
decrease, although the general annual consump-
ton is manifestly on the increase. 1t thought
that in forty or fifty years, if the uninterrupted
dredging of the oyster beds is continued, they
will be practically exhausted When new
bed is found, it is the habit to drag the heavy
drcdges through it year after year until there
are no oysters left to breed. The machine
crushes the young oysters, inbcds them in the
mud, or scatters them beyond the reach OF
nourishmcnt, and into water too deep for them
to thrive in. The remedy is to so amend the
OYSTER laws as to allow dredging in each par
ticular sound inlet, or haven only on alternate
wears. That is. make it unlawful to fish in
the same beds every year, with dredge; and
require that they shall be undisturbed every
other season. or at least every third season.
Oysters require from four to six years to reach
| maturity from the spawn or spat, or from three
to five years after being planted. They should
| be disturbed rs little as possible not only dur
| ing the period Of breeding, which runs through
| the months of May, June, July, and August,
| but during the entire period of growth
And the letter concludes with the following
estimates.
Concerning the quantity and value of the
annual oyster product of Chesapeake Bay, and
the number of men and vessels engaged in the
| trade. no accurate statistics can be obtained.
| OF the amount shipped or the quantity con-
| sumed of the Eastern Shore, nothing trust.
| worthy is known The laws Of Maryland and
| Virginia iireviscd, might render it possible to
ascertain the number Of men, vessels, porglcs,
skiffs and other craft employed i'll the business:
| The books of our various custom houses should
show the number of bushels entered from
| this locality, but the published figures are
| full of irreconcilable contradictions. An ap-
| proximate estimate Of the extent OF tins mpor-
tant trade, from facts gathered, Is this: Dur,
ing the five years Of the war there were received
| at the wharvcs of Washington half.a million
| of bushels of oysters annually. One famous
establishment consumed 900 bushels per day
| during the season, or L quarter OF million
per annum. The importation and conSump-
! ton OF last year was just one-haf that Of war
times. Baltimore, the greatest oyster market
in the world, consumed, canned, and rcshlppcd
last season (lS70-7l) 1000, 900 OF bushels. The
oyster Weld of Chesapeake Bay, for the year
lust closed, did not fall below lG, 100000 bush.
els, worth SIG, 0OO, 600 before shipment, The
number of men engaged in the business may
be put down at 5000.
FAUoUIER COUNTY Il From the Warrcnton
Index. "A pigeon shooting match came off at
the Springs on the 2nd inst. in the presence Of
considerable concourse of people. The prize
was doube-barrclcd shot gun. The contcs-
tants numbered twenty, Washington, D. g.,
| Prince William, Culpcper, Fauquier aud other
localities being represented. After several
rounds the contest was narrowed down to Mr..
VIM. p. Helm of Fauquier, and Mr.. Melville
| IIansborough of Culpeper. Each of these killed
| four birds, but as the last bird shot by the
| former fell a few yards outside the prescribed
| circle, the award was made to the latter.
| Reuben Davis, colored, was committed to
jail on Tuesday by Justice llorner on the
charge of burning three wheat stacks last Satur-
day night belonging to Dr. John Ward, cstma-
ted to contain 225 bushels of grain.
| The levy by the Supervisors of Fauquer
county for the year 1871 is Is per centum Oh
the amount of the State taxes assessed on pro-
pcrty, or three per cent, less than last year,
and SO cents per head on males over 81 years
of age. A contingent fund Of 81 500 is en-
braced in this levy.
A COZ respondent gives lively account Ola
free fight at Bealton last Saturday between
sundry citizens, who, after horse race. had
taken an over supply of mean whlskcy.
| Moses Perry, an old colored man, remark
able for uniform politoness, honesty and faith
full service died suddenly on last Monday
night.
Douglas's Adhesive Rolerl Cookie Separator
is giving universal satisfaction.
| TIE PILOTS AGAIN-A short time ago,
Capt Il. IT, Kirby, Of the tug James Murray,
| who towed from Baltimore to Richmond, Flr-
ginia the bark Peter G. Warwick, was arrested
I I. lof l,,r in fol,
pilot Tor the James river. lie was discharged
| by the Richmond magistrate on the ground
that his action was not a statutory offence. On
Tuesday last. the Warwick, W. Magill, master
cleared at Richmond for Rio de Jancro, and
proceeded down the river. W lille passing
Hampton roads, on Friday last, the vessel was
boarded and Capt. Mag arrested and lodged
in the Hampton Jail, upon the same charge rs
had been preferred against Capt, klrby Com
menting upon the affair, the Richmond DIS
patch says Buhimore Sun.
'This affair is creating considerable excite
ment among our shipping men, and the APP
parent Injustice Of it calls tor summary
remedy. Not to mention the very serious
damage it is doing the commerce OF this city
and the whole State generally, the detention
of that vessel, thereby losing fair winds, as
the case may be, is L matter OF the most serious
import to both owners and Shippers ne
manifest injustice OF the fact that some nan
dozen men (tor there arc scarcely more pilots
than that within our bordersl should be allow
cd to trammel the commerce Of this city, is Il
! point which it is hoped will commend itself to
the notice of our next Legislature, and enable
it to enact some wise law, based upon the PLAN
principles of justice to the pilots themselves
and the shipping community at large
PnINcEWILL1AM County, From the Man
| nassas Gazette IA large assemblagc OF the
people of the county witnessed the races near
| this place on last Saturday, and much interest
| was manifested Three races were run.
At the last meeting of the Township Board OF
Gainesville it was resolved to build Town
Hall for transacting Township business and Tor
other purposes.
4 person answering to the name of Webster
| protesting to be a painter, who has been stop
ping at the Manassas Hotel for some time, de-
parted on Tuesday last, and wishing to have