The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-09-10

Extent eaf Ste sponge Eisaertes-xzeS
the s5a-ve@E IS SsafEsered
From the paIl Mall Gazette.


From the Pail Mall Gazette
Some interesting information respect
ing the Syrian sponge fisheries is given
by Vice. Consul Jago (Beyrout, II his
The total value OF the sponges i5hed on
G25. 600. This production is, however,
falling off through excessive fishing,
and the consequent exhaustion Of the
fishery grounds. About FROM $50 TO 800
boats are at present employed Ii this IN
dustry on the coast Of Syria, manned by
1850 men. The centres OF proauct10n
are TripoE, Rand, Lattakia, and Bat
roun on the coast of Mount Lebanon.
The best qualities are found IL the neigh
borhood OF Tripoli and Batroun; but
the boats visit all parts Of the coast,
from Mount Carmel in the south 10
Alexandretta III the north.
The majority of The boats used are
ordinary fishing boats, three parts deck
ed over, and carrying one mast with an
ordinary lug sail They are from eigh-
teen to thirty feet in length, and are
manned by crew of four or five men,
Of whom one is especially engaged for
the purpose Of hauling, while the rest
are divers In some cases the men own
their own boats, but generally they are
hired for the season, which extends from
June to the middle of October. No
wages are paid; the remuneration con-
sists III an equal share of the produce Of
the fishing. The profits of good div
er reach as high as G40 a season. Di-
wing is prac5iced from very early age
Up to forty years, beyond which few
are able to continue the pursuit. It
does not appear, however, that the prac-
tice has any tendency to shorten life,
although, as the diver approaches forty
he is less able to compete with his
younger and more vigorous brothers.
The time during which a Syrian diver
can remain under water depends, Of
course, on his age and training. Sixty
secOneS is reckoned good work, but
there are rare instances of men who can
remain below eighty seconds. The men
on the coast, however, make extraordi-
nary statements as to the length OF time
their best hands are able to remain under
water, and grayaiy assert that eight or
ten minutes are not impossibilities.
The manner of diving is as follows:
The diYer-naked of course-Titd an
open net around his waist for The recep-
ton OF his prizes, seizes with both
hands an oblong white stone to which
is attached rope, and plunges over
board. On arriving at the bottom the
stone is deposited at his feet, and keep
ing hold of the rope with one hand the
diver grasps and tears OFF the sponges
within reach, which he deposits IN his
net. He then, by series of jerks to
the rope, gives the signal to those above,
and is drawn up. No knife, spear, or
instrument Of any kind Is used The
Syrian diver, unlike his Greek Compel
tor, never uses the diving dress. having
an antipathy to 1t on the score OF its fsl-
logged tendency 10 produce paralysis OF
the limbs.
Two or three fatal accidents annually
occur, mainly among the skillful and
daring. The diver viii quit his hold of
the rope, and wander some distance to
secure prize, on returning 10 regain
the rope will miss the spot, and be I'M
able to find it. He then attempts to
rise rlnassisted, and being ignorant of
the exact direction. often strikes out
and is drowned before he
can reach the surface. Other accidents
again happen from jagged or pointed
rocks, which. beside sometimes wound
ing the divers, often entangle his rope,
and thus in great depths exposes him to
the risk of drowning. The depths to
which the diver descends vary from five
to thirty 'ebrasses,' each equal to an Or
binary mans height Below the ex-
treme limit mentioned no good sponges
are found.
In former years the Syrian coast was
much frequented by Greek divers from
the Islands of the Archipelago Their
number is now restricted to five or six
boats annually, the skill Of the Syrian,
combined with his superior knowledge
OF fishing grounds, enabling him
to compete successfully with his foreign
opponent.
Although they vary much In quality
and size, sponges may generally be
classified. The fine white bell-shap-
ed sponge, known as the toilet SPONGE
g. The large reddish variety, known as
'ssponge de Vense, or s'bath sponges;"
3. The coarse red sronge, used for
household purposes and cleaning. Two
thirds of the produce Of theSvrian coast
are purchased by the native merchants,
who send it to Europe for sale, while
the remainder is purchased on the spot
by French agents, who annually visit
Syria for the purpose. France takes
the bulk of the finest qualities, while
the reddish and common sponges are
sent to Germany and England. The
revenue derived by Government from
this industry is tenth of the value OF
the produce calculated upon the price
paid to the finders by the traders, and
which is paid in cash by the former to
the tax farmer on the conclusion of his
sale.
WHILE the Germans are already pro-