The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-08-22
THE SYRIAN SPONGE FISHERIES.

me the faint aroma from the incense breath
ing trees. ---.
THE SYRIAN SPONGE FISHERIES.
Some interesting information respecting
the Syrian sponge fisheries is given by
Vice Consul Jago (Beyrout) in his com.
mercial report for 1878, just issued. The
total value of the sponges fshed on the
coast of Syria is from eco, 900 to e25, 000.
The production is, however, falling off
through excessive fishing, and the conse-
quent exhaustion of the fishery grounds.
About go to 800 boats are at present en-
ployed in this industry on the coast of
Syria, manned by about 1900 men. The
centres of production are Tripoli, Ruad,
Lattakia, and Batroun on the coast of
Mount Lebanon. The best qualities are
found in the neighborhood of Tripoli and
Batroun; but the boats visit all parts of
the coast, from Mount Carmel in the south
to Alexandra in the north. The majority
of the boats used are ordinary fishing
boats, three parts decked over, and carry
one mast with an ordinary lug sail. They
are from IS feet to 30 feet in length, and
are manned by crew of four or five men,
one of whom is specially 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 consists in an equal share
of the produce Of the fishing. The profits
of good diver reach as high as $40 a sea-
son. Diving IS practiced from a very early
age up to forty years, beyond which few are
able to continue the pursuit. 1t does not
appear, however, that the practice has any
tendency to shorten life, although rs the
diver approaches forty he is less able to
compete with his younger and more vigor-
GUS brother. The time during which a
Syrian diver can remain under water de-
ponds, of course, on his age and training.
Sixty seconds is reckoned good work, but
able to stay below eighty seconds. The
men on the coast, however, make extra
ordinary statements as to the length of
time their best hands are able to remain
under water, and gravely assert that eight
and ten minutes are not impossibilities.
The manner of diving is as follows: The
diver-naked of course-with an open net
around his waist for the receptacle of his
prizes, seizes with both hands an oblong
white stone, to which is attached rope,
and plunges overheard. Oh arriving at the
bottom, the stone is deposited at his feet,
and, keeping hold the rope with one
hand, the diver grasps and tears off the
sponges within reach, which he deposits in
his net. He then, by a series of jerks to
the rope, gives the signal to those above,
and is drawn up. In former years the
Syrian coast was much frequented by
Greek divers from the islands of the Archi-
pelago. Their number is now restricted to
five or six boats annually, the skill of the
Syrian, combined with his superior knowl-
edge of the fishing grounds, enabling him
to compete successfully with his foreign
opponent. Although they vary much in
quality and size, sponges may be generally
classified as-1. The fine white bell shaped
sponge, known as the toilet sponge;" 2.
The large reddish variety, known as the
"sponge de Nenise," or bath sponges;;"
3. The coarse red sponge used for household
purposes and cleaning. Two-thirds of the
produce of the Syrian 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 quail
ties, while the reddish and common sponges
are sent to Germany and England. The
revenue derived by the Government from
this industry is tenth of the value of the
produce.
PRESENT CONDITION OF TExAs.-The
correct verdict, however, with regard to
the present condition of Texas, may be
summed up as follows: A commonwealth
of unlimited resources, with an unrivaled
climate, inhabited by brave, impulsive,
usually courteous people, who are anxious
for the advent of others to share the State's
advantages with them; who are by no
means especially bitter on account of tue
results of the War; who comprise all grades
of society, from the polished and accom-
plished scholar, ambassador, and a man of
large means, to the rough, unkempt, semi
barbaric tiller of the soil OF herder of cat
tie, who is content with bitter coffee and
coarse pork for his sustenance, and with a
low cabin, surrounded with scraggy rail-
fence, for his home. The more ambitious
and cultured of the native Texans have
cordially joined with the newly come North
erners and Europeans in making improve
ments, i'll toning up society in some places,
toning it down in others; in endeavoring to
compass wise legislation with regard to the
distribution of lands and the complete con-
troll of even the remote sections of the
State by the usual machinery of courts and
officials: and the binding together and con-
Soldation Of the interests of the various
sectc rs ny the rapid increase of railway
lines.