The Meeker herald., 1898-05-07
MARYLAND's OYSTER NAVY.

One Subject en- Which All Tnhn bitants
of the Terrapin state Agree.
The naval militia is organized in u
of The. As states, and its total enlisted
nl1lnbership II In excess of $500. The
IS stateS are Fzh4saShusctts. Nhbde
Island, Connecticut, New York, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Louisi-
ana, California, Michigan, Illinois, and
New Jersey. These are, substantially,
the states having the largest coast line;
but Maine, Texas, Oregon, and Wiscon-
sin, four states with considerable
coast line, are not represented among
them.
Maryland has in addition what is
known us an oyster navy or fishery
force. At the head of this force is
commander, and there is fleet of 10
sloops and two steamers owned by the
state engaged in enforcing observance
of the Maryland laws which relates to
the oyster industry. How important
this industry is is shown by the act t!!at
at the time of the census there were
33,3SS persons engaged in it in its yari-
Gus branches. The vessels employed
numbered 1924, with 6,554 boats, of
total value of S2,61s,745. The capital
invested in shore property aggregates
$4,650, 500, ard The total investment in
the industry is $i,269,245. In all, H.
G32,730 bushels of oysters were sold.
the equivalent of more than two billion
oysters for this one state. The protec-
ton Of the oyster interests of Maryland
has long been n matter of more than
local concern. and the fishery Gcct is
reinforced during six months of the
year by what are known as local guard
boats to the number of seven. stationed
in Pocomoke sound, Herring bay, Nam
otin river, Chester river, Honga river,
Tired Avon river. and ST. Mary's river.
localities well known to those who adj
mire and appreciate Chesapeake bay
oysters.
Though the Maryland oyster navy is
established on nautical basis u touch
OF sentiment is given to therleet by the
names of the official sloops, which are as
follows: Anna Smith, Julia Hamilton,
Nelly Jackson, May Brown. Helen
Baughman, Daisy Archer, Bessie Jones,
Nanny Mer.yman, Eliza Harvard
Mary Compton, Sally Jones. Frolic, and
Folly. Itseems difficult to SEQ how even
the most unsusceptible of oyster
dredgers could resist the official attcn-
tion of Il fleet thus designated and as
fact the laws relating to the preserva-
tion of oysters are better observed in
Maryland than in any other state.
Whatever differences of opinion exist or
arise in Maryland, whether on the sub
ject of party divisions OF the usual sort
or between the eastern shore and the
western shore or on account of the al
ways-thrcatened. but never accom-
plished removal of the capital from An
nnpolis, all Maryland men agree as to
the necessity of strictly and sedulpusly
observing the game laws. the fishery
laws and the laws relating to oyster
dredging and to the protection Of the
oyster beds. 1t is in this respect that
the oyster navy establishes it's claim to
rseognitiou as local unifying force.
aqd by circumspect enforcement o.
es11h regulations. the oyster interests
ofthe tcrrapin state have been pre-
eted while those of some northern
felAss have been permitted TO suffer
fNMn either neglect or greed.-N. Y.
94S