General Introduction. 9 



many years there has been a gradual increase in the number 

 of fishing smacks in every port of the United Kingdom. 



Fish, crayfish, and many other marine products form 

 an easily digestible and pleasant food, which, it is main- 

 tained, is also calculated to stimulate mental activity. 

 Civilized nations cannot abstain from this important ali- 

 ment without detriment to themselves. Fish, even without 

 any elaborate dressing, form a good and easily prepared 

 meal for the labouring classes. Their flesh contains as 

 large an amount of protein as pork; 100 Ibs. of fish flesh 

 contains as much nourishing matter as 200 Ibs. of wheat 

 bread or 700 Ibs. of potatoes. It is an essential advantage 

 of the fisheries that their products supply delicacies for the 

 tables of the rich and wholesome cheap food for the poorer 

 classes. 



According to calculations made some years ago, the 

 daily consumption of fish per head amounted to one-seventh 

 of a pound in London, one-twentieth of a pound in Paris, 

 and one-fortieth of a pound in Berlin. 



The great importance of fish as an article of food may 

 be clearly shown by a comparison of the total supply of 

 fish to London in the course of a single year. At this time 

 there are between 800 and 900 trawl vessels engaged in 

 supplying the London market with fish ; and assuming 

 the annual take for each to average 90 tons, this would 

 give a total of some 80,000 tons of trawled fish. This 

 quantity is irrespective of the vast quantities of herrings, 

 sprats, shell-fish, and descriptions of fish which are sup- 

 plied by other modes of fishing. On the east coast of 

 England, and in the London fish-market, the trade divide 

 the fish into two classes " prime ' and " offal." The 

 " prime " comprise sole, turbot, brill, and cod. The " offal ' 

 are chiefly haddock, plaice, and whiting. The term " offal ' 



