3011. FISHERIES, Distresses of.—
Of
the disadvantages opposed to us [in the Fisheries]
those which depend on ourselves, are:
Tonnage and naval duties on the vessels employed
in the fishery; impost duties on salt;
on tea, rum, sugar, molasses, hooks, lines
and leads, duck, cordage and cables, iron,
hemp and twine, used in the fishery; coarse
woollens, worn by the fishermen, and the poll
tax levied by the State on their persons.
* * * The amount of these, exclusive of the
State tax and drawback on the fish exported
* * * [is] $5.25 per man, or $57.75 per
vessel of sixty-five tons. When a business is
so nearly in equilibrio that one can hardly
discern whether the profit be sufficient to continue
it or not, smaller sums than these suffice
to turn the scale against it. To these
disadvantages, add ineffectual duties on the
importation of foreign fish. In justification of
these last, it is urged that the foreign fish
received, is in exchange for the produce of
agriculture. To which it may be answered,
that the thing given, is more merchantable
than that received in exchange, and agriculture
has too many markets to be allowed
to take away those of the fisheries.—
Report on the Fisheries. Washington ed. vii, 543.
(1791)
