INSHORE FISHERIES 211 



Mr. Burnham visited France to study the question on 

 the scene of actual operations, and became familiar with 

 the details of the French canneries. After this investiga- 

 tion he purchased a quantity of olive oil and other articles 

 to be used in the packing of herring before his return to 

 America. In 1867, he went to Eastport, secured a plant 

 and began a series of experiments. Great difficulty was 

 found in properly drying the fish on account of the damp- 

 ness of the climate. After a loss of considerable time and 

 money, he was obliged to abandon the business because he 

 could not get rid of the herring-oil flavor. Subsequent de- 

 velopments of the industry show that Mr. Burnham stopped 

 his experiments when on the very threshold of success. 

 His work, however, had called the attention of others to 

 the business, and he should be credited with being the 

 originator of the sardine industry in America. 



It had been the practice of a New York firm for about a 

 decade before 1872 to import from Germany small herring 

 under the name of ''Russian sardines.' These fish were 

 packed in kegs, weighing four, seven, and eleven pounds 

 respectively, the fish being placed in layers and sprinkled 

 with whole spices, such as cloves, pepper, bay leaves, all- 

 spice, and others. When in the early part of the Franco- 

 German war, in consequence of the blockade of the German 

 ports by the French navy, the importation of the article 

 from Hamburg had to be abandoned, the price of "Rus- 

 sian sardines" in New York advanced fifty per cent. This 

 condition of affairs led to a consideration of the use 

 of small herring as a substitute for "Russian sardines.' 

 Experiments were begun at once to make the Eastport 

 herring serve the purpose. The quality of the Eastport 

 product proved to be superior to the imported "Rus- 

 sian," and an important business was begun. The "home- 

 made Russians' were packed in attractive oblong and 



