Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-01-26
Space. w. In. 3m, IN. lyr,
The Chesapeake Oyster Beds.

The natural oyster bsds of the Chesspeske
Bay ere perhaps tho largest ard most prolific
10 tha world. The tidal movements are 80
gentle that the spst is not scattered by currents
and tic bottom is suited to oyster growth.
There arc places 10 the bay where the oysters
have accumulated ono upon the other until they
form great cones, rising to the suffice in fly
aud six feet Of water. For many years the
bots have been worked without restric. ion, and
tho suppy was oIos deemed practically illimita-
BILE. The sales 10 Maryland alone amount to
1000. OOO, ,0CO oysters year. The take in the
lower waters uuder Virginia orisdictiou is also
Very great, and sltcs the Dnlura beds of Dsls-
ware Bay, n 1w Jersey and Long Island waters
have been d:pleted, the Chesapeake By is the
oh!et Eoutos Of supply OF seed oysters for tho
planted beds in tic neigbbothocd of Eastern
cities. The State Of Maiylatd msiotaius q
lttlo naTy whose business is to enteros the
laws RI gulatlag The oyster fisheries; but these
laws are not adapted for the preservation of
he Oyster beds. The Waters contiguous 10 the
oily CT Bilumore do NOS b,ar oysters, but the
CITY Sebd5 out iulo tho b.y large feet OF
boats, which drag the eys!er beds, with heavy
lIon scoops. The tyitermen vino supply the
local demand al0og the bay .hcrs take the oys-
tets by means cf long totgs worked from small
boats. C0un interests predomipale 10 b,
Legislature, ard tho eodeavor is made TO re-
serve to every c1un,y tho us OF chcoe beds u
waters contiguous to it. 1he by is mapped
with luagluary boundary oss, the trsrssre.-
soo OF uhlch it is the duty of the oyster police
to prevent. As matter Of fac', however most
OF the tske OF tne oysler dredsers is from
grounds tr r,hiblsed 10 them. Every s,ason
several dredgers are killed or wounded. tho
.Ils aoog tho bay shore arc filled with CAP ured
otendeIs, s0d sometimes there arc Co. e Cts BE-
tween tuDsman aGd dredseis sppro,chlug be
oroporlinnS Of s battle. Meanwhile no ef.
tort has b,en made TO rtgu ale the character
Of the dredging isef or the extent 10
shlch beds msy b, worked, furthsr than
that th:ro is prohibition of oyster
dEcdRiog crtirg the summer mouths, which,
how,v-r, is DOT we'll enforced Uoder thes. ci-
cuustatoes 1t - not surI rlsit 6 to hear that
a'gus ct depletion are appeaIirg. Lieutenant
Francis Wlosow, U. S. N, VINO his made
.nec al uiy the sutjeot, has written to the
B ltlm r. San giving some tac:s on the m,lttr
'lue was wneu the larger snd PJconoke
Sounds VT, SO packed with oyster. tia.
tho supply seemed Iimitsi NV these
o''' 'uo w eAuau'lou' 1ue Vyott To- atIDR
aress 1t tho Chesapeake ar, so vast hat he ag-
,ragste take has DOT diminished. bui the woIk
has b me harder aud more u1o ,rlsin cf result.
Boats have to rarg, widely tor snail takes
sheEe orcs the dreugo had but to be let dowo
10 crd to come up full. Tbe resent couditou
Of # its plainly Indicates the spproacbiag *
htusdon of the beds. Lieutenant Wnslo1 la
ooll'ced data showing that there have bean in
nsst toa oyster beds along tie coas of New
b gland which baVe become ex!irc. Oyster,
src.ehtly sbonuded 10 many places 10 the W .ters
OF Northen Europe, where few or none are DOW
to b' found. The Chespeake beds ara yet.
however, fsr from extinction. aod judicious
measures tor their protection will permanently
maintain this famous soorca # supp'y.-PhI
Record
pprNT Turrp NAyrS NJ, F,,-,N - t.