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drum n OED ~ sb1 9 b (1858). Cylindrical wooden container
in which dried and salted cod-fish are packed for export esp to South America; a quantity
of fish so packed; also attrib drum fish: the quality, 'cure,' or 'cull' of fish
prepared for that market; SCREWED FISH.
[1869] 1899 Nfld Law
Reports 291 For the preservation of the vessel and the remainder of the cargo it was
necessary to lighten her, and for this purpose there were 556 drums of fish, part of the
cargo, thrown overboard. 1883 Fish Exhibit Cat4 175 [exhibit] Screw
Press for pressing dried Fish into drums. 1894 HARVEY 251 A glance at one of the large
fish-stores—such as Baine Johnstone's, Job's, Monroe's or Thorburn and
Tessier's—is interesting as showing how the dried cod-fish are sorted, stacked in
huge piles, and made up in 'drums' for foreign markets. 1925 Dial Notes v, 330 ~
Four quintals (of fish). 1937 Seafisheries of Nfld 23 The original method of
shipping dried codfish from Newfoundland was in bulk by sailing vessels. The next method
was the use of barrels, to which reference is made in the very early records of the
Newfoundland fishery. With the opening up of trade between Newfoundland and Brazil there
came the introduction of the packages known as drums and half-drums. 1953 JOB 58 Though
as indicated the firm's experiments with the converted steel ships were not satisfactory,
the Earlshall and the Madeleine Constance both made successful trips to
Brazil with full loads of drum fish. T 90-64 We made birch drums, half drums—half
quintal drums—and whole quintal drums: they were for the Brazil market. 1973 HORWOOD
40-1 This time the Olive Moore was not long delayed. There was another load of
fish prepared for her and already screwed into drums and half drums, and this time
consigned to different dealers. One in Maceio and the other in Bahia. 1975 BUTLER 69 The
making of those casks and drums for packing fish was itself an industry... For the
quintal and half quintal drums, the staves would be three eights of an inch thick sawn
from birch and the bottom and heads one half an inch thick.
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