The National tribune., 1902-09-04
SPONGE FISHING.
A Consular RepDrs on the Industry in the
levant.

An interesting and instructive report on
sponge fishing in the Levant has been re-
ceived by the State Department from G.
Bic Ravndal, United States Consul at
Beirut. The Censul says Greek and Turk.
ish spQnges have been known to the trade
for hundreds Of years. Syria furnishes
perhaps the finest quality, and shipments
are made fron Tripoli and Latakia to
Paris, LondOn,I Trieste, Hamburg, New
York and othee places. During the last
15 years, however,, the output has greatly
diminished, owing to the introduction by
Greeks in the '7Os Of diving apparatus
which proved ruinous to fisheries and fish
ermen alike. 1t is estimated that the an
nual expectation of Syrian sponges at
present hardly exceeds $S5,000 in value:
In the adjoining territorial waters. Cy-
prus, sponge beds are being worked with
varying success. Sponges were exported
from that island in 1898 to the amount of
shipped. Egypt, Barbary, Crete, Rhodes,
Samos, Calymnos and other islands of the
Turkish and Greek ArchipelagOs also pro-
duced sponges for export. The United
States annually buys sponges abroad to
the amount of about $5OO,0OO, the princi-
pal shipments proceeding from Nassau
(BOhama Islands,, London and Pira Gus.
In collecting the sponges four methods
are employed-harpooning primitive div
ing, dredging and diving with special
outfit.
With harpoons, one of the chief difficult
ties is to see the bottom clearly through 4
troubled sea. To Obyiate this a wooden
open at the top and with glass bottom,
is used. On looking through this water
glass, which is partly submerged, the bot
tom of the sea may be clearly studied,
even at 80 fathoms, and the proper
spOnges picked out by the harpOoners.
The primitive method of diving. with no
other apparatus than a slab Of stone as a
sinker, and a cord to communicate with
the surface, is most popular in the Levant.
On reaching the bottom the diver hastily
snatches up as many good sponges as pos
sible, and after remaining under water
from one to two minutes, tugs violently at
the cord and is drawn to the surface. The
spOnges are collected in n net which the
diver carries around his neck.
At greater depths, particularly along the
coast of Asia Minor, dredging is employed
usually in Winter, when storms have torn
up the sea weeds which cover the bottom.
To these simple operations was added
some % years ago the "skafander," or
diving apparatus, which enables the diver,
in his submarine dress, to spend an hour
under water at from 10 to 15 fathOms.
Experience has shown that the employ
ment of the last two methods is a severe
tax upon the sponge banks, as everything
in sight, spOnges large and small, are
gathered. Germs and seeds also suffer
greatly, and it takes years before a new
crop natures.
The fishermen who use the "skafander"
are frequently stricken with palsy of the
lower extremities, structure and other COM
plants.
The abuses which so disastrOusly affect
the Levantine sponge industry have
prompted Russian philanthropist, Prof.
Charles Flegel, Ito inaugurate a campaign
for the abolition cof diving apparatus in
sponge fishing. Through his efforts the
authorities of Samos, Crete and Cyprus
have prohibited fthe use of the ska
fander;" also the Governments of Italy
and France, the latter acting in behalf Of
Tunis. The matter will be taken up and
discussed at the international Fisheries
Congress, which is to be held in st. Pc
tersburg in February and March next.