INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. ccxxvii 



the month. It is thought that probably a compromise will 

 be made on the 3d to the 5th. 



The United States is but little interested in this question, 

 having scarcely any participation in the catch on the At- 

 lantic coast. 



The fur - seal fisheries of the Pacific coast, restricted as 

 they are by law, have been about the same as heretofore, 

 the full complement of 100,000 having been taken by the 

 Alaska Commercial Company on the islands of St. Paul and 

 St. George, leased to the company by the United States. In 

 addition to this number, it has been estimated that 10,000 

 are captured elsewhere on the coasts of South America and 

 Siberia. The capture of seals in the Southern Pacific has 

 been greater than usual, several large cargoes having been 

 brought in from the Shetland Islands, South Georgia, etc., of 

 very superior quality. 



Fish-Culture. This subject has received greatly increased 

 attention during the year 1875, in consequence of the grow- 

 ing: interest felt in stockin <y our rivers and lakes with new 

 varieties of valuable food fishes, or in restoring others to 

 depleted waters. Nearly all the states now have Com- 

 missioners for this purpose, and their action is to a certain 

 extent concentrated and harmonized through the United 

 States Fish Commission. 



Since our last report several states have appointed such 

 commissions for the first time ; and the reports as published 

 of the operations of the different commissions furnish a grati- 

 fying proof of energy and success in this direction. 



The operations of the United States Fish Commission 

 have been carried on on a much larger scale than in previous 

 years, and bid fair very soon to make their impression upon 

 the food supply of the country, the number of shad placed 

 in public waters having amounted to nearly eleven millions, 

 and of California salmon nearly nine millions. No distribu- 

 tion has yet been made of the eastern salmon, or of the 

 land-locked salmon, although a large number of eggs of both 

 have been obtained, as the proper time has not yet arrived. 

 Several millions of egrsrs of whitefish of the lakes have also 

 been obtained and hatched out. 



x An important forward step on the part of the Commission 

 has been the importation of a large number of young carp 



