436 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



almost every township in the United States; how the shad- 

 fishery has been established in unfamiliar waters, such 

 as the Ohio River and Pacific Ocean; and in addition to 

 this, how many other steps of great magnitude have 

 been made in the art of fish-culture. 



"I dare not attempt to estimate the practical value 

 of the work of the Commission to the country, but can 

 not doubt that it amounts to very many millions of dollars. 

 I presume you are familiar with Mr. Goode's 'Review of 

 what has been acomplished by the Fish Commission in 

 fish-culture and in the investigation of American fisheries'; 

 but I venture to send herewith a copy of this pamphlet, 

 and to direct your special attention to pages 26 to 34, 

 in which are quoted numerous commendations of the Fish 

 Commission from the principal authorities of Great 

 Britain, Norway, Holland, Germany, Belgium, France, 

 and other European nations. Professor Huxley, in an 

 address at the London Fisheries Exhibition, said that he 

 did not think 'that any nation at the present time had 

 comprehended the question of dealing with fish in so 

 thorough, excellent, and scientific a spirit as that of the 

 United States'; while M. Raveret-Wattel, the principal 

 French authority on this subject, states that 'to this day 

 pisciculture has nowhere produced results which can be 

 compared with those obtained in the United States.' No 

 one can question that the peculiar excellence of the work 

 of our Government has been directly or indirectly due to 

 the presence of Professor Baird at the head of the com- 

 mission. He had no rivals, and during his administration 

 no word of criticism was ever uttered by competent 

 persons." 



