THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 273 



season of 1878 ;* and June 1st, 1879, was determined upon 

 for its execution. From this date downward assayers 

 appointed by the College have still continued to examine 

 any pickle-herring presented to them, but the operation 

 now bears a strictly private commercial character. The 

 assayer's task is now no other than that of a common 

 commercial expert ; and he gives no official certificate 

 whatever. Penalties have this time been enacted against 

 the use of the abolished brands, and as a consequence no 

 complaints of this abuse have arisen. Four seasons have 

 elapsed since the measure was taken ; and its effects have 

 been decidedly very beneficial. As long as there were 

 Government brands, dealers but too often sought profit in 

 obtaining those brands for fish undeserving of them. 

 Since the brand was abolished they have been obliged, like 

 dealers in any other article, to get their own trade-marks 

 respected and sought abroad by strictly attending to the 

 quality of the goods. The measure was, in fact, nothing 

 but a final link in the chain of consequent fishery reform, 

 and a completion of the system adopted in 1857, viz. to 

 make parties concerned look for profit to nothing but their 

 own vigilance, industry, and honesty, and stop their ances- 

 tral habit of leaning upon Government measures taken in 

 their behalf. The law of 1857 had put a stop to the 

 herring fishery's utter rottenness ; it was reserved for the 

 law of 1878 to bring about a state of entire soundness in 

 its stead. 



Of such a thorough soundness the herring business has 

 indeed since 1879 given the most substantial proofs. By 

 the aid of very favourable seasons, both fishing returns and 

 exports have, as shown by Appendix K, increased in the 



* Law of May 7th, 1878 (Stbl. No. 37). 



