GREAT INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION. LONDON, 1883. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I. CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION ILLUSTRATING THE FISHING VESSELS AND BOATS, AND THEIR EQUIPMENT; THE ECONOMIC CONDITION OF FISHERMEN; ANGLERS' OUTFITS, ETC. CAPTAIN J. W. COLLINS, Assistant, U. S. Fish Commission. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1 8 S 4 . 645 : — TABLE OF CONTENTS. A. Introduction. Page. Statistics and history of fishing vessels 7 Statistics and history of fishing boats 12 Apparatus accessory to rigging fishing vessels 14 Fishermen and their apparel 19 Food, medicine, and shelter 21 Fishermen's log-books 22 Fishermen's widows and orphans aid societies 22 B.—Fishing craft. VESSELS. Rigged models 1. Fishing steamers 26 2. Fishing ketches 26 3. Fishing schooners 27 Builders' models: 4. Fishing schooners . 37 BOATS. 5. Sloop, cutter, and cat-rigged square-stern boats 45 6. Schooner-rigged square-stern boats 49 7. Square-stern row-boats 50 8. Sharp-stern round-bottom boats 50 9. Flat-bottom boats 54 10. Portable boats 58 11. Sportsmen's boats 61 12. Bark canoes 62 13. Skin boats and canoes 62 14. Dug-outs 63 SKETCHES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF VESSELS AND BOATS. 15. General views of fishing fleets 65 16. Fishing steamers 66 17. Square-rigged vessels 67 18. Fishing schooners 67 Pinkeys 67 Mackerel-fishing vessels 66 Cod-fishing vessels 70 Fresh-halibut vessels „ 71 Herring catchers 72 Fishing schooners, general 72 [3] 647 — 648 CONTENTS. [4] 19. Sloops 73 20. Cutters 73 21. Quoddy and Block Island boats , 74 22. Seine-boats 74 23; Sharpies... , ... , , 74 24. Dories 75 25. Bark canoes 75 26. Skin boats 76 27. Dug-outs 76 28. Ship-yards, boat-shops, &c 76 C. Fittings and appliances for vessels and boats. 29. Canvas used on fishing vessels 78 30. Photographs of sail-loft and sail-maker's dwelling 78 31. Cordage used on fishing vessels 78 32. Windlasses and capstans 80 33. Steerers 81 34. Compasses, logs, &c 81 35. Books 84 36. Charts used by fishermen 84 37. Cabin lamps, lauterns, torches, &c 86 38. Lantern-boards 88 39. Fog-horns . 88 40. Preservative fluids and paints 90 41. Chafing-gear „ 91 42. Blocks, sheaves, and dead-eyes 93 43. Hoops and hanks 97 44. Hooks, clews, thimbles, and grommets 98 Hooks 98 Clews and earings 100 Thimbles 102 Grommets 103 45. Chocks 104 46. Boat-hooks 105 Boat-hooks, unmounted 105 Boat-hooks, mounted . 105 Boat-hooks, aboriginal 106 47. Leaders and lizards 107 48. Purrel-trucks 108 49. Cleats and belaying-pins , 108 50. Anchors and grapnels 110 51. Mast-gear 114 52. Boat- builders' materials 115 Miscellaneous :.... 115 Aborigiual implements 119 Eudder fixtures 121 Center-boards 122 Boat-detaching; apparatus 122 Eowlocksand thole-pins 123 53. Drags or floating sea anchors 130 54. Scrapers and deck-scrubs 131 55. Scoops and bailers . 132 56. Shovels 133 57. Pumps and bung-buckets . 133 58. Fids, marline-spikes, and splicers. 134 . — — — [5] CONTENTS. 649 Page. 59. Accessories ...» ...^^;.;;;.;.u;^.ui..... 135 Scout-horns 135 Barrel- lifters 135 Ice-hooks and mallets 136 Buckets and water-jugs 136 Boom-supporters 136 Buoys 137 Claws 137 Paddles 137 D.—Fishermen and anglers. 60. Figures of fishermen 138 61. Photographs of fishermen and fish merchants 140 62. Fishermen's wearing apparel 143 Suits of clothes 143 Trousers and overalls 144 Jackets and junipers ". 145 Shirts and drawers 146 Aprons 148 Socks 148 Mittens, gloves, and nippers 148 Hats and caps 150 Oileu clothing, &c 151 Boots, shoes, and slippers 154 Bed-clothing * 155 Eye-protectors 155 63. Receptacles for clothing 155 64. Anglers' wearing apparel 156 E. Food, medicine, and shelter. 65. Fishermen's food 159 66. Fishermen's medicine 161 67. Photographs of fishermen's houses, &c 162 Fishermen's dwellings 162 Homes for families of lost fishermen 164 Dwellings of vessel owners and fish-dealers 164 Bethels and school-houses 165 Views of fishing towns 165 68. Anglers' tents and portable houses and their equipment 166 F. Vessels' papers. 69. Vessels' papers and insurance policies 171 70. Log-books 171 Log-books kept under requirement of old bounty law 171 Log-books kept at request of the United States Fish Commissioner. 172 71 Papers of Wi flows' Aid Society 172 G. Habits oe fishermen. 72. Musical instruments, games, and literature 174 Musical instruments 174 Games 174 Literature 175 73. Fishermen's tools and outfits 176 H.—Life-saving material. 74. Life-boats, rafts, and mattresses 178 1 75. Illustrations, medals, reports 17& — A.—INTRODUCTION. STATISTICS AND HISTORY OF FISHING VESSELS. According to the census of 1880 there were employed in the fisheries of tbe United States, in that year, 6,605 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 208,297.82 tons, valued at $9,357,282. The number of fishermen em- ployed was 101,684, which includes those engaged in boat fishing as well as those sailing on vessels. The most important fisheries in which these are engaged are those for cod, mackerel, halibut, oysters, menhaden, herring, and the whale. There are several other fisheries of more or less consequence, but of less importance than those named above. The bulk of the fishing fleet sails from New England, from which section the whale fishery and the greater part of the ocean food fisheries are prose- cuted. The fishing fleet of a nation is an important factor in the development of its commerce as well as in its naval success. The building of fishing- boats and vessels develops a taste for naval architecture which often may result in decided benefit to the country, as well as advantage to the indi- vidual. And these boats and vessels, besides accomplishing the more special objects for which they were constructed, become training ships upon which large numbers of seamen receive their technical education which fits them not only for fishermen, but also to fill positions of re- sponsibility in other naval pursuits. It is, I believe, a well established historical fact that those nations wbich have enjoyed remarkable com- mercial prosperity and naval supremacy can trace their success in these particulars directly to their fishing industries, the pursuit of which has developed an adventurous and enterprising naval spirit in the people. The colonization of North America was due almost wholly to the in- terest felt in the fisheries of the Western Atlantic, and to this cause alone may we look for the motive that induced people to settle in locali- ties which afforded small attractions of any other kind. As a result of the tendencies of the early settlers to engage in the fisheries, a fleet of fishing vessels was employed as soon as the country was occupied. According to the old records snows and ketches were employed in the bank cod fisheries when the business was first established, and at an early date sloops were also engaged in fishing. In the records of Massa- chusetts Colony, 1680, the statement is made that " There are about one hundred or one hundred and twenty ships, sloops, and other vessels that trade to and from hence, yearly, of our own or English build, most of them belonging to this colony. Wee have eight or ten ships [probably snows] of one*hundred tons or more, and about forty or fifty fishing ketches of betwixt twenty and forty tons. [7] 651 652 fisheries op The united states. [8] Six or eight English ships do usually come hither yearly belonging to the Kingdom of England, bringing commodities of all sorts from thence." The so-called ketches were probably employed to a greater extent than any others. These vessels were full and heavy built, with a peculiar rig that was at first invented for a bomb vessel (the mainmast standing about amidships to give room for ordnance forward), but afterwards came into great favor for yachts and fishing crafts. The snows were generally larger than the ketches, square-rigged on two masts, and having a small jiggermast at the stern. A distinguishing feature of the sloops of the early colonial times was that many if not most of them carried square topsails. These were, of course, better adapted for fishing near the land than for making extended cruises to the banks. The first marked improvement in the AmericaTi fishing vessels was the invention of the schooner rig early in the eighteenth century. The difficulties attending the adoption of a new rig in former times is evi- denced by illustrations of war ships of the eighteenth century, and pre- viously, on which lateen sails were carried on the mizzen. Illustrations of French men-of-war in 1764, however, show that the portion of the sail forward of the mast was no longer carried, probably owing to the difficulty of lowering and shifting the yard whenever the ship changed her tack. The yard was nevertheless kept its full length, simply, it would appear, because no one could invent a gaff, or similar device, to take its place. We may, therefore, look upon the invention of the schooner rig, which has now become so popular in America, as a mat- ter of special importance in the history of our fishing fleet. The par- ticular incident which gave to this rig the name of schooner is thus described: "Captain Eobinson built and rigged a ketch, as they were then called, masted and rigged it in a new and peculiar manner; when launched the peculiar motion she made as she glided into the water from the stocks 1 caused one of the bystanders to exclaim, ' Oh, how she scoons. Eobin- son instantly dashed a bottle of rum against her bow and exclaimed, 'A scooner let her be!' And thus the schooner originated." This event happened in Gloucester in 1713, according to the historical account, and as early as 1716 mention is made of the employment of a "scooner" in the fisheries off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, and it is possible this may have been the original one built by Captain Eobinson.