"But very unfortunately the merchant marine died away till even the majority of fishing done about the Cape is in the hands of the Portuguese who emigrated to the Cape some fifty years ago"

This quote by Joseph C. Lincoln speaks with the decrease of the merchant marine at the Cape. The merchant marine is a term utilized to describe the industrial shipping market, and this quote recommends that it has been in decrease for a long time. The quote also mentions that most of fishing done around the Cape is now in the hands of the Portuguese who emigrated to the Cape some fifty years back. This recommends that the Portuguese have taken over the fishing market in the location, likely due to the decrease of the merchant marine. This quote talks to the altering nature of the Cape's economy and the impact of migration on the area. It likewise highlights the value of the merchant marine in the location and the need to secure and maintain it.