[BOSTON. The number of arrivals at Boston, during the year 1838, was 1313; during the year 1839, was 1553. Increase 240. The following Table exhibits the amount of salt, coal, grain, and potatoes, brought to this port during the past eleven years : - 21-2 21-2 - 21-2 - 1 In the above is included the salt and coal re-shipped for debenture. There was exported from Boston during the year 1840, 24,500 standard bushels of salt, and 95,259 bushels of coal.-Am. Ed.] CALCUTTA. (See Table on the next page.) COINS. [Statement of Deposits and Coinage at the Mint of the United States and its Branches, in the Year Philadelphia Charlotte Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars. Dollars. New Orleans. 6, 69 78,290 173,901 385,240 982,290 2,025,401 257,6651,332,395 00 8,349,872 2,176,296 3,128,661 31,286 61 11,736,198 3,529,977 61 Statement of Deposits and Coinage at the Mint of the United States and its Branches, in the Year 426,185 1,187,326 1,699,746 318,435 1,675,302 7,777,105 1,726,703 2,462,700 24,627 10,558,240 3,126,632 Am. Ed.] An Account showing the Total Amount of the Import and Export Trade of Calcutta in 1836-37 and 1837-38; showing also the Amount of the Trade with each country, and the proportion per cent. which the Trade with each Country bears to the total Amount of the Trade. (Bell's Review of the Commerce of Bengal for 1836-37 and 1837-38.) Statement of the Consumption, Exportation, &c. of the different Sorts of Cotton Wool, in and from Return of the Number of Emigrants from the United Kingdom in 1839, specifying the Colonies and Countries for which they cleared out, and the Numbers that cleared out for each.-Parl. Paper, No. 113. Sess. 1840.) [The reader will find in vol. i. p. 42., a statement of the value of the fish exported annually from the United States, from 1790 to 1838, inclusive. The value of the fish imported during the year ending on the 30th of September, 1839, was, of dried or smoked fish, $21,303; of salmon (pickled), $73,768; of mackerel (pickled), $60,374, and of all other pickled fish, $71,489. 99 3 U 2 Of the fish imported, the quantity which was re-exported amounted in value to only $9,034. The product of our own fisheries which was exported to foreign countries, chiefly to the West India Islands, during the same year, amounted in value, of dried or smoked fish, to $709,218, and of pickledfish, to $141,320. The registered and enrolled tonnage of the United States employed in the whale fishery amounted to The enrolled and licensed tonnage employed in the cod fishery In the mackerel fishery In the whale fishery That of vessels licensed under 20 tons employed in the cod fishery Tons. 131,845 65,167 35,983 439 7,091 The fisheries of the United States are carried on from the ports of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York; especially from those of Massachusetts. Its citizens own nearly three fourths of the whole tonnage employed in this branch of American industry. The greater comparative importance of the Massachusetts fisheries has led to more exact inquiries concerning them than have been directed hitherto to the subject of the fisheries elsewhere. And we subjoin the following interesting extracts from a report of Dr. D. H. Storer, submitted to the legislature of that state. Although, as fresh fish, mackerel are sold in the markets along our whole coast for several months in the year, and are considered by all excellent food, (from 6 to 8,000 barrels being sold annually in Boston market alone,) their great value to this people, arises from the means of employment afforded to an immense number, by the process of salting and packing. Those packed in 1836 were furnished by the following towns: At the prices these fish were worth in November, 1836, the value of the year's fishing amounts to $1,264,012. The whole number of barrels of mackerel inspected in Massachusetts for the last five years is as follows:-1832, 221,000 barrels; 1833, 225,000; 1834, 253,000; 1835, 197,000; 1836, 180,616. Although it would seem from the above table, that a smaller quantity of mackerel had been packed in 1836, than the several years immediately preceding it, yet it cannot be inferred from this circumstance, that fewer vessels were engaged, or that the business was considered less important than before. In some years, immense shoals of these fishes are readily met with, and the vessels return in a few weeks, with full cargoes; while the same localities may be visited at other seasons, and the efforts of the fisherman prove fruitless, and his fare meagre indeed. So peculiar are the habits of this genus, that oftentimes weeks may pass, the fishing smacks be surrounded by millions sporting upon the surface of the ocean, and scarce one allow itself to be taken, while again the success of a few days will relieve the disappointments of nearly a season. Thus, a fisherman informs me, that the last season, (1837,) having been to the bay of Chaleur, and taken but few fish, the vessel to which he belonged was returning home, when, off Cape Cod, the fish were so numerous and voracious, that the crew, consisting of ten men, captured in two hours nearly 30 barrels of them. At this time about 200 smacks were together, and they were all equally successful, some of them taking 40 barrels of fish. After being carefully inspected, these fish find a ready market in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans, and from this last port, they are sent over the entire western country. The inferior quality are shipped to the West India islands. I have not been able to learn with accuracy the number of vessels engaged exclusively in this fishery; in many towns, the same vessels are used at different seasons of the year for cod as well as the mackerel fishery. I have ascertained, however, that there were 202 vessels employed in this fishery in 1836, in the county of Barnstable, and that of this number 98 belonged to Provincetown, which were valued at $147,000. . . . . . The family Salmonides includes several genera of fishes, which for delicacy and richness are not surpassed. Previous to the separation of Maine from this state, large quantities of the Salmo salar— salmon-were packed: thus, in the year 1818, 2,381 barrels were inspected. Since that time none have been inspected. The building of dams and manufacturing establishments, by preventing the fishes from going up the rivers to deposit their spawn, has almost entirely annihilated them in this commonwealth. About 17 years since, two wagons, each bringing from 30 to 40 fine salmon from the Merrimack river, supplied the Boston market every week during the season of the fish-now, the few specimens taken are looked upon as rarities, and our market is enriched by the fishery of the Kennebec...... The Osmerus viridescens-Smelt-which is a universal favourite, is taken in great numbers in the spring and autumn, and through a great portion of the winter. In Watertown alone, 750,000 dozen are taken annually in scoop-nets from the first of March to the first of June-and sent to Boston market. The family Clupea, are among our most valuable fishes. The Clupea vernalis-alewife—is taken in immense quantities still, in several parts of the state, although in several places where they have heretofore been most abundant, the various encroachments of man have sensibly diminished them. A larger quantity of alewives is packed, than of any other species of this family. In 1832, 1730 barrels were inspected; 1833, 2,266; 1834, 4,320; 1835, 5,600; 1836, 5,000. At Watertown, the average quantity of alewives for the last 10 years is 700 barrels. They are first pickled, then salted and barrelled, and sent to the West India islands. They sell from $1.50 to $2.00 per barrel. At Taunton, which for years was so celebrated for its fishery, the alewives are gradually lessening. There are two or more dams across the Taunton "Great River," so called, which impedes their progress very much; and on the "Little River," where many dams and factories have been erected; and where, twenty years ago, thousands were taken, not one is to be seen. Twenty-five years since they were taken in such abundance, that they sold for 20 cents per hundred, and a great business was carried on by barrelling and shipping them to the West India market. The Clupea harengus (?)-common herring (?)-is in some seasons taken in great numbers. The quantities of herring packed and inspected according to tables kept at the General Inspection office for the last five years, are as follow: 1832, 52 bbls. 1833, 36; 1834, 518; 1835, 968; 1836, 77. That a small quantity only of the herring taken, are packed, is obvious, from the fact, that in 1836, 500 bbls. were taken at Falmouth; 400 bbls. at Duxbury, and 3000 at Martha's Vineyard. Upon some portions of our coast herring have been limited in quantity for the few last years, during the last two years very few, comparatively speaking, have been taken. Their scarcity has been attributed by the fishermen to torching them at night, by which the shoals are broken, and the fish frightened away. The Alosa vulgaris-Shad-is taken in several of our rivers in large quantities, at some seasons of the year, and quite a number of them are packed. In 1832, 100 bbls. were inspected; 1833, 321; 1834, 3; 1235, 310; 1836, 527. The quantities taken in Charles river at Watertown, for the five last years, have averaged about 6000 per annum; from 3000 to 4000 are yearly caught at Taunton. Those taken at the former place, are usually sent to Boston market, and sold at 25 cents each. Those caught at the latter locality are for the most part disposed of at the seines (fresh) and cured by the purchasers. When first taken, they sell for 100 cents per hundred; and as the season advances, diminish gradually in price to 50 cents. No family of fishes, however, found in the state, presents a greater number of species of real utility, than that of the Gadites; and no species in the whole catalogue of our Icthyology, is of greater importance than the morrhua vulgaris-common Cod; supplying our markets with an excellent food throughout the year, and giving employment to thousands. In some portions of the state this fishery is entirely superseded by the taking of whales. Thus, while every town in the county of Barnstable, is more or less engaged in this business, and collectively exhibit an aggregate of 212 vessels, but a single fishingsmack was licensed in Dukes county in 1836-and not one in the county of Nantucket-the attention of the inhabitants of the last two counties, being entirely engrossed in whaling. Imperfect as are the following data, they may not be thought valueless. I have been able to ascertain that, in 1836, there were engaged in the cod fishery, from Gloucester, Marblehead, Provincetown, South Wellfleet, Cohasset, Duxbury, Plymouth, Manchester, Salem, and Beverly, being ten towns, 561 vessels, having crews of 3,816 men-and that by these vessels there were taken 263,454 quintals of fish. To these may be added the towns of Newburyport, Lynn, Falmouth, Holmes Hole, and Sandwich, (in which I have not been able to learn the number of vessels exclusively employed in this fishery,) which furnished in 1836, 16,265 quintals. Thus exhibiting 279,718 quintals of cod fish, taken by the enterprise of the citizens of 15 towns. When it is observed, that about 3,500 of the cod fish from the Grand Bank, (which are generally much larger than those from the Straits of Bellisle,) constitute a single quintal, some conception may be formed of the immense number taken. At the usual price of these prepared fish, the above mentioned number of quintals would sell for $839,154. Besides these fishing vessels, a great number of boats are constantly employed in supplying the markets with fresh fish. Thus, at Duxbury, in 1836, there were 10 market boats, having 40 men on board, which took from 38 to 40,000 fish. At Provincetown, there were 10 boats thus engaged. Boston market is supplied with cod fish by about 15 or 20 small schooners, and a large number of boats. By the kindness of Capt. Nathaniel Blanchard of Lynn, master of one of these smacks, I am enabled to furnish the following table, by which some idea may be formed of the amount of fresh cod fish, brought to our market. He has presented me the result of his labours with a vessel of 25 tons, and a crew of 6 men, for nearly 5 months, commencing October 24, 1836, and terminating March 20, 1837. His account exhibits the number of fish taken, and the price obtained for the same for each day during that period. From this minute statement, I am able to ascertain that the largest quantity taken any one day, was 7,124 pounds-December 13th-which sold for 5 shillings per hundred = $59.39. The smallest quantity taken any one day, was 337 pounds-January 16th-which sold for 12 shillings = $6.67. The smallest receipts were March 20th, when 359 pounds taken, sold for 10 shillings 6 pence $5.92. The whole number of pounds taken during the period mentioned, were 194,125. The entire receipts for the same, were $3,026.14. Besides the value of the fishes themselves in a fresh and dried state, large quantities of oil are extracted from their livers, which is sold for about $15 per barrel. Immense shoals of the Morrhua æglefinus-Haddock-are found on our coast in spring, and continue through the season until autumn. Large numbers are sold in the market-and during the entire summer it is generally eaten by the poorer classes, who are often able to obtain a fine fish weighing several pounds for one or two cents. When taken in larger quantities than can be disposed of in market, they are frequently strewed over the earth for manure. Several valuable species are furnished us by the family, Plani-the most important, however, is the Hippoglossus vulgaris-Halibut. The flesh of this fish is rather coarse and dry, but is by many highly esteemed. An unusual number of this species were brought to Boston market in the early part of 1837, and were all sold at considerable profit. Eighty large schooners, from 60 to 80 tuns burden, belonging to Cape Ann, were thus employed. Smoked, this fish is quite a delicacy; and when dried, as is the usual habit of the Greenlanders, it is, I can affirm, far from uninviting.-Am. Ed.] FUNDS (AMERICAN). We beg leave to lay before the reader the following statements with respect to the loans contracted by the different American states; they are taken from the American Almanac for 1840, and are the fullest and most comprehensive that we have seen. The following tables show the total amount of stock issued and authorised to be issued by each of the eighteen states, which have resorted to this mode of raising money. Where the returns from the financial officer did not afford all the information which was desired, the state laws have been examined, to ascertain the extent of the authorised loans. The operations of many of the states have been so extensive and varied, that it is not an easy matter to get at the precise amount of stock issued and authorised to be issued. It is probable, however, that the aggregate amount of stock authorised by all the states is even greater than the amount stated in the tables. Statement of the Amount of Stocks and Bonds issued, and authorised by Statute to be issued, by the several States named below, giving the Year in which each State commenced issuing Stock, the Object for which it was issued, and the Rate of Interest. Summary of the Amount of Stock issued, and authorised to be issued, for Banking, Canals, Railroads, Turnpikes, and Miscellaneous Objects. MAINE. The stock issued by this state is to be redeemed under the direction of the legislature, by the sale of public lands, from the debts due to the state, by taxes, or new loans, as may be deemed expedient from time to time. The amount of notes due from individuals to the state (August, 1838) is 326,721 dollars. The whole amount of located lands belonging to the states, 1,400,000 acres, valued at 1,500,000 dollars; the undivided lands belonging to Maine are estimated at 3,011,000 acres; making the total numbers of acres 4,411,000. This total includes half of the land north of the St. John's river in the king of Holland's award. The stock of this state is negotiable and transferable by the holder, and the interest in all cases is payable by the state. The interest on 235,000 dollars is payable at Boston annually, and the interest on the residue at the state treasury, annually and semi-annually; the stock bears interest at 5, 54, and 6 per cent. The value of the taxable property of the state in 1830 was 28,807,687-24 dollars. NEW HAMPSHIRE has issued no stock. The expenses of government are defrayed by a direct tax. VERMONT.-This state has issued no stock. |