The Fisheries.— The fishing industry has, from the earliest years, been an important ele ment in the prosperity of the coast towns and the hardy seamen of Gloucester and Marble head, engaged in this industry in times of peace, have won renown in the naval operations of the country in times of war. The latest complete returns relating to the fisheries of the State show 8,780 vessels engaged valued at $3,680,163, with apparatus valued at $891,213, and the fol lowing annual product : Food fish. $7,580,789; mollusks, $1,509,200; crustaceans, $447,167; ag gregating $9,537,156. The total number of per sons engaged in the fisheries was 11,814. Of the value of the vessels, 39.51 per cent ; of ap paratus, 27.21 per cent ; and of food fish prod uct, 44.69 per cent are credited to the city of Gloucester; New Bedford having 8.42 per cent of the value of vessels, 7.06 per cent of the value of apparatus and 2.35 per cent of the food fish product, besides $217,987 product of the whale fishery. Provincetown had 5.41 per cent of the value of vessels, 13.07 per cent of ap paratus and 8.96 per cent of food fish, besides $4,500 product of the whale fishery. Boston had 24.11 per cent of the value of vessels, 13.67 per cent of apparatus and 33.88 per cent of the food fish product.
By the statistics of 1916, fairly reflecting normal conditions preceding the late war, the total imports of the Massa chusetts Customs District amounted to $210, 900,943, or 9.60 per cent of all imports to the country. The exports amounted to $131,221, 946, or 3.03 per cent of all exports. There were entered during the year 146 sailing and 240 steam vessels (American), having 439,484 total tonnage; and 269 sailing and 839 steam vessels having 1,981,163 total ton nage. islvessels cleared numbered 129 sail ing, 175 steam (American), total tonnage 322, 085; and 272 sailing, 561 steam (foreign), total tonnage, 1,267,436.
Boston, of course, is the chief port of entry, and in the aggregate value of investments and earnings derived from ocean commerce exceeds all others. The city is extensively engaged in European commerce, much of which is con ducted under foreign flags. Lines of passenger and freight steamers regularly ply between Bos ton and European ports, and the coastwise passenger and freight traffic to the east and south is important.
Transportation facilities have kept pace with the industrial development of the State. Boston, the metropolis, is connected with the West by two railway systems, and these communicate either directly or by branches with all the leading industrial centres. One general system, with its various divisions, communicates with the South by way of New York, uniting important manufacturing cities and towns, while a network of main and branch lines connects the northern and eastern factory centres of the State with each other, with the seaboard and with the railway systems leading south and west.
There are in the State 2,141 miles of main and branch railroad line, besides 1,072 miles of sec ond, third and fourth main track, and 1,755 miles of side track, making the total length of railroad track within the State 4,968.
Various companies as originally chartered are now operated (under leases) in three gen eral systems, the Boston and Albany, Boston and Maine and the New York, New Haven and Hartford. The Boston and Maine system, af ter receivership, has recently (1919) undergone reorganization. The gross assets of the com panies, 31 Dec. 1916, aggregated $863,525,164, and the gross liabilities $833,908,990. The total gross revenue from operation for the year was $163,463,010; and the total expense of operation, $110,802,255; yielding $52,660,755 net. Electrical street railways have multiplied until they now connect all of the principal cities and towns. In the city of Boston subway and elevated railway construction of the highest class, completed and in process, has already transformed methods of street transit, and will finally solve the problem of rapid communication between dif ferent parts of the city and its suburbs. The Massachusetts street railway companies now own, according to the returns, year ending 31 Dec. 1916, 2,357 miles of main track, 529 miles of second main track and 196 miles of side track, these aggregating 3,082 miles. The gross assets of these companies aggregate $229,308,549. The total operating revenue for the year amounted to $43,150,201, and the total expense of operation to $30,753,333. In recent years the prosperity of both steam and street railroads has been curtailed by causes which it is hoped are temporary. The street railways have espe cially felt the increase in operating expenses due to advancing wages and cost of supplies, without proportionate increase in revenue, since to a large extent they have been confined to fixed rates of fare. And the principal syste,ms are now (1919) operating under remedial legis lation, involving the principal of service at cost, with State control and, to a certain extent, guaranteed returns upon invested capital.
May 25, 1686, Joseph Dudley became presi dent of New England under royal commission, holding the office until 20 December, the same year, when Sir Edmund Andros became gov ernor of New England, appointed by King James II. On 18 April 1689, Governor Andros was deposed by a revolution of the people. After the dissolution of the first charter, Simon