Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/301

I NEWFOUNDLAND 289 In 1873, 107 vessels, with an aggregate ton- nage of 15,080 and 8,062 men, of which 20, of 5,766 tons and 3,595 men, were steamers, were engaged in it, and about 525,000 seals were taken. The chief seats of the herring fishery are Labrador, Bonne bay, bay of Islands, St. George's bay, and Fortune bay. In the bay of Islands it is pursued during the winter. The average catch is about 175,000 barrels. The salmon fishery is prosecuted to some extent in Labrador, but chiefly in the bays on the E. coast of the island ; the average quantity taken annually is about 6,500 tierces. (See FISH- EEIES, and SEAL FISHERY.) Newfoundland has scarcely any manufactures, excepting a few establishments at St. John's. Its com- merce is important. The value of imports and exports at different periods has been as follows: YEARS. Imports. Exports. 1884 618 757 826 659 1854 964527 1 019 572 1864 1 067 062 1 111 330 1870 1 386 635 1 297 974 1871 1, 58,'l72 1 310892 1872 . 1 399 180 1 188958 1873 1,409,730 1 358 498 1874 ...'.. 1,532 227 1 528 341 The principal countries with which the com- merce is carried on are the United Kingdom (imports from in 1873, 505,708; exports to, 450,424), Canada (imports, 377,732; ex- ports, 74,174), British West Indies (imports, 46,388; exports, 60,063), Spain (exports, 217,454), Portugal (exports, 180,624), Italy (exports, 32,608), United States (imports, 355,253 ; exports, 44,479), French West In- dies (imports, 57,196; exports, 29,544), and Brazil, (exports, 244,413). The principal ar- ticles of import in 1873 were flour, meal, and hard bread (380,568), manufactured goods (259,061), meats (120,218), molasses (80,- 552), leather and leather ware (74,303), earth- en, glass, and hardware (59,153), butter and cheese (58,498), besides cordage and cables, coal, fishing tackle, salt, sugar, tea and coffee, tobacco and cigars, wood and wooden ware, wines, spirits, &c. The preceding statements relate only to the island of Newfoundland, exclusive of the French shore. The exports in 1873 from the entire colony, including Labra- dor and the French shore, were as follows : ARTICLES. Quantity. Value. Dried codfish 1,316,845 qtls. 1 065 159 Salmon Herring 7,304 tierces. 138 037 bbls 27,065 64549 Other fish 4360 Cod oil, crude " " refined 1,049,580 gals. 97 272 " 121,479 16485 Seal oil 1 571 220 " 168865 Other fish oil . . 57 204 " 2 659 Seal skins 452587 101 525 Copper ore Nickel ore. . . 5,553 tons. 120 " 40,492 750 Other articles 17 698 Total 1 631 086 The number of vessels entered at the various ports in 1873 was 1,146, with an aggregate ton- nage of 218,122 ; cleared, 937, tonnage 193,902; belonging in the colony, 1,301, tonnage 68,185. There are no railroads in Newfoundland, and the means of communication by land are imper- fect. Steamers ply between the principal set- tlements and St. John's. Transatlantic steam- ers touch at St. John's semi-monthly for nine months, and monthly during the three winter months. The most important places are con- nected with St. John's by telegraph, and the island, as the nearest point of North America to Europe, occupies a prominent position as the centre of telegraphic communication be- tween the two continents. The New York, Newfoundland, and London telegraph com- pany, incorporated in 1854, has the monopoly of landing cables, and has associated with it- self in the privilege the Atlantic and French cable companies. The colony has since April 15, 1874, the right under the charter of pur- chasing the interests of the company, and the policy of exercising the right has been much discussed. There are two banks at St. John's, with a capital of 50,000 each; ag- gregate assets, May 31, 1873, 739,111; aver- age circulation of notes, 189,098; of specie, 76,614. There is also a savings bank at St. John's, with a branch at Harbor Grace, having together at the above date 2,102 depositors, and deposits to the amount of 189,281. The ex- ecutive power is vested in a governor, appoint- ed by the crown during pleasure, and an exec- utive council of not more than seven members, appointed by the governor, and responsible to the assembly. The legislative power is vested in a legislative council of not more than 15 members (present number 13), appointed by the crown or governor during pleasure, and a house of assembly of 31 members, elected by the people for four years, unless sooner dissolved by the governor. The right of suffrage is con- ferred upon all male subjects of Great Britain, 21 years old and upward, who have occupied a dwelling house as owners or tenants for two years immediately preceding the day of elec- tion. Voting is viva voce. The number of registered electors at the election of 1873 was 20,759. The legislature meets annually at the end of January or the beginning of Feb- ruary. The supreme court consists of a chief justice and two assistant judges, each of whom holds a circuit court in one of the three cir- cuits, northern, central, and southern. The vice-admiralty court is held by the chief jus- tice. A court of civil and criminal jurisdic- tion, with summary process, is held in summer on the Labrador coast by a single judge, who passes from point to point in a revenue cruiser. There are also minor courts and justices of the peace. Judges and justices of the peace are appointed by the governor during pleasure. The revenue of the colony is derived exclu- sively from a tariff on imports. There is no municipal or other body authorized to levy