Year: 1878

4
| From our Special Correspondent


WASHINGTON, D. c., April %, 1878.


The Potomac river fishing season
usually begins the last tofMarch and ends
from the 1st to the 10th Of May, averag-
ing between five and six weeks duration
Many not vet arrived at life's meridian
remember how 100000 herrings and
sturgeon. rock-fish, catfish, perch, tay-
lors, shad and other varieties in like
proportion, were often taken at one haul
OF the nets along the fishing shores of
our river and Chesapeak Bay. Then
herring could be bought at % cents per
1000 and 81 cents was thoughts an extrav-
agant price for pair of the largest shad.
The yield frequently so far exceeded the
supply of salt for curing purposes, that
hundreds of cart loads of fish were left
where landed to rot and aggrayate the
type of malarial disease prevailing the
year through in the tide-wster regions
of Maryland and Virginia, even after the
adjacent farmers had drawn away for
manure as many as they would, without
money or price. Many species now
eagerly sought after at high price in
the markets, were then rejected as who'll
ly unfit for human food, even by the
slave population, not usually over fastid-
ious. Adjoining waters were equally
prolific. But the waste increased rela-
lively with the improved appliances and
methods taken for an abundant catch.
With the system now in vogue only
small proportion of the schools of fish
that annually strive to reach the spawn
ing grounds on the upper Potomac,
escape the traps set for their capture
every few rods for a hundred miles.
The result is as has long been anticipated, ;.
viz; a growing scarcity more marked
each year until the present. 1t is said
hardly lessee of any of the shores will
come out even this season unless the
catch for the remaining few days proves
exceptionally abundant. The same com.
plaint reaches US from rivers north and
south of us; and unless the two States
named promptlyinterfere by appropriate
legislation to put stop to the waste, the
supply of fish food from our rivers and
bays must soon become wholly extinct.


Some statements of Senator Blaine at
the recent tariff demonstration at Ches-
ter Pa, are significant and Of common
interest to every American citizen.
After referring to the strides we have
taken within the past 20 years in set
tling new States and Territories, the
resulting increase of agricultural pro-
ducts; to the line of railroads we have
stretched across the continent and to the
system of anastomasing tracks running
in every direction and giving almost
every considerable community railroad
facilities; to the extent and variety Of
manufactures developed within that
time, he proceeds to show that in the
matter of our merchant marine, we have
been reduced within the two decades
from the foremost rank we occupied in
1857 TO the condition of an inland
nation, without sea coast or navigable
rivers. At the date first named Ameri
can built bottoms transported S70OOOO,-
600 worth of our products to foreign
markets while the remaining 100000
600 were carried in foreign bottoms.
Now it is almost completely reversed.
the tendencies all being towards furth
or decadence at our expense. He dates
its beginning with the panic of 1857;
and we had only begun to recover when
the war and British pirates did the rest.
No change in our favor has been possible
because of the rapid substitution of the
sailing vessel by the steamship, which
could be much more cheaply produced
in foreign than in American yards, and
which had further advantage in the
subsidy policies of nearly all foreign
maratime governments.


The Senate has voted to adjourn May
10th, but the House refuses; and it is
predicted that if Mr. Wood can commit
a majority of the latter to his tariff read
justment scheme no adjournment is
likely before August. Hardly any of
the large Appropriation bills have yet
been reported to the House. Among
them are the Legislature, Executive and
Judicial bill and the Army bill, either Of
which may consume full month in the
struggle over them between the House
and Senate. 1t also seems certain that
many Southern and Western members
will insist upon the enactment of some
sort of an income tax law. Democrats
appear to have grown less timid about
the Blair business and an increasing
number seem to show willingness to
champion it through the House, so that
it may also prove source Of delay. The
sensation over the Worlds publication
of the substance Of several alleged in
terviews with Senator Conkling has
Gained down, leaving permanent inn
preston with many, that though it is
chiefly guess-work, there is no reason to
suspect that it very materially misrep-
resents the Senator's sentiments towards
the administration.


Every time Glover hauls his drag net
he brings to the surface a squirming
Democratic delinquent and his party
associates never regretted anything
more than the latitude given him and
his experts" to ruin the party by his
maladrait management in catching
Democrats instead of Republicans.


MAXWELL.