96 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



old method, to have perforated vessels, mostly in the shape of boats, fas- 

 tened to boats, to be towed by them along the rivers, may be considered 

 satisfactory as far as common vessels and fishing-boats are concerned, 

 whilst it is not suited to transportation by steamers. 



With regard to transportation by steamer, Messrs. Busse & Co., of Ber- 

 lin, have taken a step in the right direction. This firm constructed some 

 years ago a steamer specially arranged for transporting live fish, which 

 carries regularly the fish accumulated at various points of the Swedish 

 and Danish coasts (mostly eels) to Stettin, whence they are carried by 

 water in perforated vessels to Berlin, which city is reached in about 60 

 hours. Berlin has, in consequence, become a considerable market for 

 eels, and this trade is growing in importance from year to year. The 

 above-mentioned firm alone sells annually about a thousand hundred- 

 weight of eels. 



Under No. 518, Messrs. L. Busse & Co. had exhibited a model of their 

 steamer. The illustration of the steamer shows in the center the per- 



ns. i. 



forated vessel for the fish, the cross walls of which are, of course, water- 

 tight. 



The eel, being accustomed to migrate from the rivers to the sea, and 

 vice versa, can easily stand the transportation through salt and fresh- 

 water. 



Whilst this method of transporting fish by water has been very suc- 

 cessful, transportation by railroad is Still in an exceedingly backward 

 condition. The difficulties to be overcome are, of course, much greater, 

 because the natural conditions of transportation by water have to be 

 artificially supplied. In addition to this, there is the extraordinary 

 increase of the cost of transportation, owing to the quantity of water, 



