RELATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. 57 



a constant stream of special commissioners from England, Scotland, and Ireland, from 

 Norway and Sweden, from Germany and Austria, from France and Italy, Eussia, Fin- 

 land, and Siberia, from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, coming as agents of their 

 own Governments, and devoting months and sometimes even years to the study of the 

 methods employed by the Nation and the States, and on their return embodying these 

 results in official reports which are full of praise and approval. 



In the application of scientific research to the problems of the fisheries and fish- 

 culture, the duty of the United States in the future appears to be very manifest. The 

 National and State Commissions must be strengthened and encouraged to carry out 

 to the fullest extent all legitimate lines of investigation. Their work will not be ended 

 until the following results shall have been accomplished : 



First. There should be a complete physical and biological survey of every hydro- 

 graphic basin and every mile of coast upon the continent. The survey of the coast 

 begun by the United States Fish Commission in its first year is still being carried on 

 with admirable results, and too much cannot be said in praise of the thorough system 

 of exploration of the various river basins established by the present Commissioner. 



Second. We should attain to an understanding of life-histories (including the embry- 

 ology) of all aquatic animals of economic value, and of the animals and plants with 

 which they are associated, which may be directly or indirectly beneficial or injurious. 

 This work, too, has been carried rapidly forward by the Federal and State commis- 

 sions and by many of our colleges, and, although much remains to be done, the mass 

 of information accumulated and assimilated within the past twenty years has been one 

 of the most important factors in bringing about recent advances in fishery economics. 



Third. There should be an understanding of all physical and biological problems 

 involved in the practical work of artificial culture. Here, too, there has already been 

 an advance of great magnitude, especially in America; and the forms of apparatus 

 for fish breeding and transportation, devised in this country under the eye of experts 

 in the various mechanical sciences ar.d with the advice of the biologists, have replaced 

 almost without exception those in »se twenty years ago. 



Fourth. The results of past scientific inquiry should be made effective by framing a 

 consistent code of Federal and State laws for the protection and preservation of the 

 sources of fishery supply. It is doubtful whether such a code exists in any part of the 

 world, and it may be that the time has not yet come for framing it, but I should 

 regard the adoption of a wise and effective law and its successful application as a 

 supreme test of the wisdom of our public men and their scientific advisers. 



Fifth. All depleted waters should be repopulated with fishes in their former abun- 

 dance, or in even greater plenty than at the time of the discovery of America, and 

 unproductive waters must be thoroughly stocked. 



Sixth. A school should be established for training fishermen, fishery administra- 

 tors, and fish-culturists, and (with the cooperation of the universities) of biological 

 investigators. Such a school might be established in the great laboratory building 

 erected by Professor Baird at Woods Holl. Here, at slight expense, might be main- 

 tained one of the principal biological establishments and the greatest fishery school in 

 the world. Norway and Sweden, Japan and Germany, have schools for fishermen. 

 England, France, and Holland maintain biological laboratories; and these and almost 

 every nation in Europe contribute to the support of the great International Zoological 

 Station at Naples. Why should not our Government, with the cooperation of the 



