The Portland daily press., 1882-05-09
DOWN TOWN.
Financial-Fish and Fishing Statistics
Miscellaneous Business Items.

The Boston money market was easy yester-
day, and loans were made at AZ to per cent
according to the value of the security offered.
Very little paper was in the hands of note deal
ers The stock market was strong in the
morning but grew weak as the day advanced.
Maine Central sold at So.
The fish dealers report a very quiet week IN
dry fish, with light receipts and unchanged
prices. So far as can be ascertained the bank
fleet are doing we'll In fresh fish the receipts
have been light, but ready sale is found at
the ruling prices of last week. The market
boats yesterday brought about $1,000 pounds of
cod and paddock. They report cod very
scarce, and paddock more plenty, but the catch
has not been encouraging. Shad are little
more plenty and the retail price has declined a
trifte. Salmon are very scarce and high. Lob
sters are coming forward more freely, but
prices rule high. The season promises to be
short. No halibut or mackerel have been
landed here, dealers depending upon other
markets for their supplies for retail trade. The
ms ckerel fleet are now off the Delaware Cape
and report fish plenty and well in shore. Fish,
fresh and picked, continue to arrive at New
York and Philadelphia and are shipped from
thence to the northern markets. They are gen.
orally of good size The outlook for the season
is good, both as regards catch and sales. The
high price of meats will bring fish more in re-
quest, and good prices are anticipated.
We have lately received from the Census
Bureau the detailed statistics of the sea and
river fisheries of Maine, an abstract of
hox- 81, dr1 tod 10
day, as matter of interest in this vicinity,
the returns from the collection district of Port
land and Falmouth. 1t should be remembered
the information was collected nearly two years
ago, and the figures cannot represent the pres
ent condition of the fishing interest of the dis
trict, which there is reason to believe has
largely increased in the intervening period,
butthey convey an approximate idea of it. The
returns have just bsen made public
The whole number of persons employed in the
sea fisheries of this district was 1861, divided
as follows: in vessels, TIC; in boats $40: in
curing, packing, &c, 234; in factories II. The
amount of capital invested was $685. in
vessels and boats, $343 $50; in nets and traps,
SAL, 421; in other fixed and circulating capital,
1856, 000 The number of vessels engaged was
106, of an aggregate tonnage of 1896, and 489
boats employed in shore fisheries. The total
product of the fisheries was at A., 230, 400,
Nearly 100000 pounds of fish were eaten
fresh, 21,425,500 pounds dried, S,734. 400
picked, 100000 smoked and $4,000 canned.
OF Holsters $4,000 pounds were used and $685.,
$40 pounds of CLAIMS. Nearly $1,000 worth of
fish of all kinds were converted into fertilizers,
oil, &c. The total market value of the dry
fish product was $2O1 1897, requiring nearly
8 900 900 pounds of fresh cod, 100000 of hake,
459 200 of paddock, 352,S00 of pollock and
296, 800 of cusk. The produce of salt mackerel
was % ,948 barrels and of ordinary herring
2,4OO barrels, and the aggregate value of pick
led fish W as $157 ,151. The smoked fish statis-
tics put the total value at $4,000, of which
amount the finnan haddies represent $66, 900.
The canned fish account is credited with near
ly $1,000 cans, valued at 1896; the Holsters
with $4,000, and 52,352 bushels of CLANS
yielded 1927, $50. Tho enhancement in value
of southern oysters in transporting and trans
planting was S37,500; the number of bushels
handled in 1880, was 70 900. Under the head
of "River Fisheries" the catch of fish in Caseo
Bay and tributaries is given as amounting to
127, 450 pounds, valued when sold at $500.
The varieties embraced salmon, shad, ale
wives, &c.
The question what constitutes safe port
has recently risen in Baltimore in consequence
of a recent decision by Judge Morris of the
United States District Court. This decision
put different construction on the clause in
corporated in every contract, which provides
that a cargo "shall be discharged at safe
port, or as near thereunto as vessel can safely
get; and the. vessel shall always lay and dis
charge afoat." According to this decision it
is left to the Judgment of the captain whether
it is safe for him to discharge his cargo at or
near the port for which he is destined. The
ship-brokers and merchants of Baltimore are
therefore taking action toward change in the
language Of charter parties of vessels.
A pilotage bill which has passed the Massa
chusetts House and finds favor in the Senate,
is a modification OF the one asked for by the
The new bill does away with outward pilotage
and removes the line at which vessel must
be spoken to give the pilot a claim upon her,
three miles farther out. The bill is regarded
as an entering wedge to the final abolition of
pilotage.
The British manufacturers are to adopt new
methods of introducing their goods in all parts
of the world. 1t is proposed to start floating
exhibition of British manufactures and for
this purpose a steamship of 5000 tons, has been
chartered. and rs soon as all arrangements are
it will proceed to India, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa and other places,
in order, as the prospectus declares, that
manufacturers, patentees and others shall be
able to bring samples of their specialties under
notice at the chief foreign and colonial mar
kets in an attractive and satisfactory manner"
The steamer is to start sometime next month.