REP O R
or THE
SECRETARY OK
Oil the fubje£t of the
COD AND WHALE FISHERIES,
[con T I N V EU.I
IN 1771, the Americans had one hundred and
eighty-three vellels, of thirteen thousand eight
liundi ed and twenty tons, in the northern fiih
ery, and one hundred and twenty-one vellels,
of fourteen thoufaiul and twenty tons, in the
louthern, navigated by four thouland and fifty
nine men. At the beginning of the late war,
they had one hundred and leventy-feven vellels
in the northern, and one hundred and thirty
two in tlie fotuliern fiftiery.
Ac that period, our fiihery being suspended,
the Engli/h seized the opportunity of pufliing
theirs. They gave additional bounties of five
hundred, four hundred, three hundred, two
hundred, one hundred pounds ftetling, annual
ly, to the five ships, whicii Ihould take the great
est quantity of oil. The effect of which was
such, as, by the year 1786, to double the quan
tity of common oil necellary for their own con
funiption. Finding, 011 a review of the fubjetf,
at that time, that their bounties had cost the go
vernment thirteen pounds ten (hillings sterling
a man annually, or sixty percent, on the cargoes,
a part of which went coni'equently to ease the
purchases of this article made by foreign nations,
they reduced the northern bonnty from forty to
thirty (hillings the ton of admeasurement.
They had some little time before turned their
attention to thefoiuhern fiihery, had given very
great bounties in it, and had invited the fifhermen
of the United States, to condutfl their enterpri
zes. Under their guidance, and with such en
couragement, this fiihery, which had only beo-un
them in 1 784 or 1785, was rising into rafue.
In 1788, they increased their bounties, and the
temptations to our fiftiermen, under the general
description ofJoreigners who had been employed in
the lubale-fifliery, to pass over with their families
and veflels to the Briti(h dominions either in A
merica or Europe, but preferably to the latter.—
The effetfl of these measures had been prepared
by our whale oils becoming fubjeifi, in their mar
ket, to the foreign duty of eighteen pounds five
/hillings sterling the ton, which, being more than
equal to the price of the common oil, operated
as a prohibition on that, and gave to their own
fpermacsti oil a preference over ours to that a
mount. The particulars of this history are pre
sented to the eye, more in detail, in the table
No. 7.
The fifhermen of the United States, left with
out resource by the loss of their market, began
to think of accepting the British invitation, and
of removing—some to Nova-Scotia, preferring
lmaller advantages in the neighbourhood of their
ancient country and friends, others to Great-Bri
tain, postponing country and friends to high
premiums.
The government of France could not be inat
tentive to these proceedings. They saw the dan
ger of letting four or five thousand feainen, of the
best in the world, be transferred to the marine
itrengtli of another nation, and carry over with
them an art, which poHeffed almost exclusive-
To give time for a counter plan, the Mar
quiMtlela Fayette, the valuable friend and citi
zen of this, as well as that country, wrote to a
gentleman in Boston to difi'uade the fifhermen from
accepting the British proposals, and to afl'ure them
that their friends in France would endeavor to do
something for them. A veflel was then arrived
from Halifax, at Nantucket, to take off those who
had proposed to remove. Two families had gone
a board, and others were going. In this moment,
the letter arriving, suspended their designs. Not
another went aboard, and the veflel returned to
Halifax with only the two families.
The plan adopted by the French miniftrv, very
different from that of the firft mover, was to give
a counter invitation to the Nantucket men to re
move and fettle in Dunkirk, offering them a boun
ty of fifty livres (between nine and ten dollars)
a ton on the admeasurement of the veflels thev
ihould equip for the whale filhery, vvithfome other
advantages. Nine families only, of thirty three
persons, accepted this invitation. This was in
178 J. In 1786, the ministry were led to fee, that
their invitation would produce but little efFetft,
and that the true means of preventing the emi
gration of our fifhermen to the British dominions,
would be to enable them ltill to follow their call
ing from their native country, by giving them a
Jiew market for their oils, initead of the old one
they had loft. The duties were, therefore, aba
ted 011 American whale oil immediately, and a
further abatement promised by the letter N. 8
and in December, 1787, the arret, No. 9, was
patted. To be continued.
_ 8C copies of the CONSTITUTION of th !
United State j, printed with Notes, may be had of the
Editor.
Blank Power to receive the Intercft, andfor the transfer of the
principal of public d,bt y agreeable to the Rules ejtabhfhed in the Trea
sury Department : lfo Blanks for abJtraEts of Ccrtijicates> to be fold by
the Editor.
STATE,
HAVING 'ampleted the fecund volume of this Ga
zette-, its patrois, and the public at large, are inform
ed that it will In prosecuted on its original plan, with
every improve',lent that friendfhip and ingenuity may
f"gS e J l -
The price of this Gazette, (published Wednesdays
and Saturdays J is Three Dollars per annum—one
half to be paid \t the time of fubferibing.
The utmojl ptnfluahty is observed in transmitting
the papers to fibferibtrs : The Editor thinks there is
the fairefl prof fie 61 that Information from the feat of
government, to the extremes of the Union, will in fu
ture circulate with greater facility and certainty, than
through the pajl winter.—Additional fubferiptions
from all / arts of the Union are therefore f elicited.
An incex to the second volume is preparing for the
press.
This rolume contains the laws of the two lafl Jeffions
of Congtefs—the journal and debates of the house of
Reprefe'itatives—reports of the heads of departments
—be fides a greater variety of original communications
immediately connected with the interests of the United
States, than any other periodical publication.
The Lditor acknowledges -with gratitude thr punc
tual payments received from a great proportion of his
fubferibtrs —some arrearages remain—which he is con
fident wdl very speedily be discharged.
Pay mints may be made to the several persons of
whom the papers are received.
Advernfements of one square, or lefi, will be in
serted in this Gazette, three times, for one dollar—
fubjequent infertions,t-wenty-five cents each; larger ad
vertisements in proportion No vehicle in the United
States gives fu immediate a circulation—and the num
ber of each impretjion it at present fourteen hundred.
MASSACHUSITS SEMI-ANNUAL LOTTERY.
CLASS 11.
THE MANAGERS of the STATE-LOTTERY afTure the
Public, that tie second Class of the SEMI-ANNUAL LOT
TERY will pofitiv?ly commence drawing on the day appointed,
viz. On Thursday tie 13th of Ottober next, orjooner, if the Tickets
(hall be difpofcd if. As the Managers have in their several
monthly Lotteries :ommenced drawing at the hour afligned, so
they are determined to be equally as punctual in this.
25.000 Tickets, at Five Dollars each, are 125,000 Dollars, to
be paid in the following Prizes, fubjeft to a deduttion of twelve
and an half per cent, for the use of the Commonwealth.
Prizes. Dollars. Dollars.
1 of 10000 is 10000
2 3000 arc 6000
3 2000 6000
TICKETS <11 the above Class may be had of the fcveral
Managers, mho utll pay the prizes on demand; of the Tr easuker
of the Commonwtaith ; of James White, at his Book-flore,
Franklin's Head, Court-ftrret—and at other placcs, as usual.
BENJAMIN AUSTIN, jun. "]
DAVID COBB, |
SAMUEL COOPER,
GEORGE R. MINOT,
JOHN KNEELAND, J
Bojton, Afril 14,1791.
Certificates & Public Securities,
Oil COMMISSION, at public and private fdle, on the
following terms :
ON the specie amount of all sales or purchases at au&ion, one
eighth per cent.
On ditto of all sales or purchases at private sale, on all sums
below 5000 nominal dollars, one-halj per cent. ; and 011 all sums
above 5000 nominal dollars, one-fourth per cent.
For receiving intereil at the Loan-Office, one per cent.
For making transfers ac ditto, one dollar each transfer.
(Jdf" Such persons throughout the United Slates, as may be
plcafed to favor the fubferibers with their orders, may rely on
their being executed with punctuality,fidelity and difpntch, as consi
derable experience in the public flocks, together with extensive
connections in the city of New-York and different parts of the
continent, enable them to condufl their operations with peculiar
advantages. PINTARD & BI.EECKER,
New-York, No. 57, King-Street.
(97 law 6m)
March 15, 1791
THE Subfcribcr, who served a regular apprenticeftvp to the
bufincfs of VENDUE-M AST ER, under Mr. George
Kf. hy. has jult opened an OFFICE in the Borough of Nor
i o lk, Virginia, ia a good and convenient House, situated near
the County Wharl, where he is in hopes of giving general fatisfac
tion to all those that may be pleased to favor him with their com
mai,ds - * JOHN H. HALL.
Norfolk, Virginia, April 2 i, , 7gl . (, rp
In Chesnut-St r e et, No. 66,
BUYS and SELLS all kinds of THE PUBLIC DEBT OF
THE UNION ; has frequently occasion to NEGOCI ATE
INLAND BILLS OF EXCHANGE—and will rcceive Orders
for making SUBSCRIPTIONS to the BANK of the UN ITb D
STATES.
Philadelphia, Murck 30, 1791
20
ADVERTISEMENT.
SCHEME.
NOT TWO BLANKS TO A PRIZE,
3
6
10
3"
80
90
100
120
161
2C'O
7585
OUUO
iooo 6ooc
£00 5000
200 6000
100 8000
5° 45°°
40 4000
3° 3600
20 3220
10 2000
8 60680
8388 Prizes.
16612 Blanks.
9.5000 Ticket?,
Pintari> and Bleecker,
PURCHASE and SELL all kinds of
ADVERTISEMENT
Matthew M'Connell,
contract
For erefliog BRIDGES over the Hack, n sa r k ,„d p A11A1( .
N'e V w-j\rfe C ; W " n P ° wUs - Hook - .he Su./.f
THE Commissioners appointed bv an att nf th<- i...n
ana Pjlfaiack nvers, having ol.ta.ned the neccfTirv furvrvi
now ready to receive proposals for perform, n » the lame•', !!
otter the following conditions for theconfideration ol such air,
be inclined to contrail: raa X
The situation of the bridge across the Hackinfack river will K.
atone of the following ftatioDj, as (hall be hereafter dctcriniJj
moil eligible.
j ft. At the place where the present ferry is eftablilhtd when
the width oi the river is 1448 feet. *
Depth at the eastern ihore, 8 feet 8 inches.
Do. western shore, 8 11
Greatest depth, 25 4
2d. At a place inore northerly, called Douw's Ferrv wW
the width of the river is 846 feet.
Depth at the eastern (horc 19 feet 10 inches.
Do. western shore 12
Greatest depth 35 8
The situation of the bridge aciofs the Paflaiack river, will be at
one of the three following stations, as shall be hereafter deteimin
ed molt eligible.
lft. At the place where the orefent feiry is established, where
the width of the river is 676 feet.
Depth at the eastern shore 8 feet 6 inches,
Do. western Ihore 9 (j
Greatest depth 17
2d. At a place more wcfterly, called Beef-Point, where the
breadth of the river is 799 feet.
Depth at the eastern shore 11 feet,
Do. weftein shore 4 5 inches,
Greatest depth 13 4
3d. At a place still more northerly, called Hedden's dock, ia
the town of Newark, where the width of the riv«r is 526 feet.
Depth at the eastern shore 4 feet 5 inches,
Do. western shore 10 8
Greatest depth 15 11
The bridges are to beconftrufcted on the principlesof thofeereft
ed over Charles, Myftick, and Beverly Rivers in the State of Mas
sachusetts, with a draw to admit a free paflage for veilels with fix
ed standing masts, not less than twenty-four feet wide, to be pla
ced in such part of the bridges as shall be determined most con
venient for the navigation of the river, with piles or blocks on
each fide of the entrance of such draw, as shall be judged fufficient
to aid veflels in pa fling through. Also, one lamp on cach fide of
the draw, to be lighted every night from sunset to fun rife, during
the continuance of the lease.
The bridges aie to be built with such piles, timber, scantling,
and plank, as (hall render them perfectly substantial and secure in
the opinion of the commifiioners, and are to be of a futficient
height to protest them against the tides, which rife at ordinary
tides from 5 to 6 feet, and at spring tides from 8 to 10 feet. They
are to be 31 feet in breadth, viz.
Allowance for cairiagc way, 20 feet.
Do. for foot walks, railed off on cach fide, 4 feet each, 8 feet.
Do. for balluftrades, 1 foot each, 2 feet.
Do. for hand-rails foi do. 6 inches each, 1 foot.—Total. 31 feet.
The fides of the bridges to be secured with strong balluitrades,
after the manner of the bridge between Boston and Charleftown.
The bridges and draws are to be kept in constant repair, and at
the expiration of the lease are to be Surrendered in good ordcrj
agreeably to the a£t.
The following are the terms which the commifiioners are au
thorised to offer to contractors :
A lease of the exclusive privilege of the bridges for a period not
exceeding 99 years, with a toll equal to three-fourths of the pre
ient rates of ferriage.
From as accurate an estimate as could poflibly be obtained, the
aflual receipts of the ferries for a medium of five years last part,
amount to twelve hundred pounds, New-Jersey currency, per
annum, three-fourths of that lum will conlcquently produce an
immediate income of 900 pounds per ann. This may fairly be
estimated as the fmalleit profit that can be calculated upon. The
advancing population of the United States, the increasing intcr
courfe between the two cities of New-York and Philadelphia, the
facility which the conftruflion of these bridges will give to travel
ling, the easy communication thereby offered with the state of
New-Yoik, on the weflern fide of the Hudson, are all important
circumstances, which must neceflarily tend rapidly to accumulatc
the profits of the bridges. The commiflioners are moreover au
thorized by law to raise four thousand pounds to be applied to
wards making causeways and laying out proper roads connected
with the bridges, and have a lottery now on foot for that purpoie.
As loon as the places (hall be determined on where the bridges
are to be fixed, and the contra&s for eie&ing them are executed,
the roads and causeways will be immediately undertaken.
Such persons therefore as may be inclined to contra# on the
above principles, will be pleased to fend in their terms sealed,
within three months from this date, to Wil li am Maxwell,
Esq. in New-York, fpecifying the shortest period of lease for
which they will undertake to erefl the said bridges,together witb
proper security for performing the fame.
125000
SAMUEL TUTHILL, ")
JOHN NEILSON, |
ROBERT KEMBLE, }Commiflioners.
WILLIAM MAXWELL, |
JOHN PINTARD J
Newark, State of New-Jet fey, April 22, 1791.
Funds of the United States.
ALL kinds of the Public Debt ot the Union, bought, fold, or ex
changed ; Foreign and inland Bills of Exchange, negociated ;
Merchandize of all forts Bought and Sold on CommiJJion, and all
other Business in the line of a Broker, tranfa&ed by
WILLIAM CLELAND,
At the Office, next door to the Cvjlom-Houfe, State-Street, BQSTO A.
Joseph Wheaton
PRESENTS his compliments to his old Military Friends, the
Gentlemen of the Civil Lift, and the Public —wifhesthey may
be informed that he has received a very handsome Assortment
of the belt chofcn
SPRING GOODS,
By the Pigou, and other late arrivals, which are now opening»t
his KNOWN CHEAP STORE, No. 38, Third-Street, North,
and -which he is determined to dispose ot (at wholesale or rctai J
on so low terms as mull make it an objcft to cujlomets.- y r e [*
from his friends will be attended to with punctuality and dll pate j
and the time of pa) ment made convenient.
Phtlad. May 2, 1791.
Phi ladelphi a, May 3•
T T J E. the Commiflioners, appointed to receive subscriptions
VV to the Bank ot the United States, do hereby give
noiice,that the Books will be opened by us for that purpo e
the Bank of North-America, on Monday the 4th day of Jul) n e
Thomas Willing,
Be a i l Bordley,
Davibßittenhouse, , t .
All the Printers in the Unitei States an requejlcd to pwijn Ut
(36. tf)
A CARD.
Samuei Howell,
Lambert Cadw/lade*>