BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 97 



which is in itself absolutely worthless, but is nevertheless necessary for 

 live fish. Supposing I ship by railroad a barrel containing 10 per cent, 

 fish and 90 per cent, water, and it will be seen that I pay the railroad 

 company ten times the freight which I pay for other goods. 



If I received by railroad ten pounds of meat, vegetables, or other 

 articles of food, I get for the price of the freight the lull weight, with 

 the exception of the tare. Ten pounds of fish, however, demand, in the 

 first place, 90 pounds of water, and, besides this, the tare weight of the 

 cask or barrel, which is generally very heavy. 



With some fish the proportion is still more unfavorable, thus espe- 

 cially with those which are brought to Berlin from distant seas lor the 

 purpose of stocking aquaria. In this case we can only count about 1 

 pound of fish to 100 pounds of water, so that nearly the entire freight is 

 paid for absolutely useless matter, viz, water, and very frequently it hap- 

 pens that when fish arrive at their destination they are found to be dead ! 

 The transportation by railroad of live fish, therefore, offers difficulties 

 which can hardly be overcome. As long as the railroad companies do 

 not lower their rates for transporting fish, live fish, and more especially 

 salt-water fish, will never be regularly shipped by railroad. The rates 

 of freight are so high that only persons of means will be able to enjoy 

 the luxury of fresh salt-water fish in inland towns. 



For transporting other articles of food, live cattle, beer, &c, the rail- 

 road companies have everywhere provided special cars, whilst nothing 

 has been done for the transportation of fish. In my opinion, however, 

 it is absolutely indispensable that special cars should be provided for 

 transporting live fish, if any trade in this article is to be built up, and 

 if greater safety to the fish is to be guaranteed. It will hardly be pos- 

 sible to provide such cars by private means. The expense, the question 

 where to keep them, the comparatively small use which the owner 

 would have of them, the matter of rates, &c, all these are great diffi- 

 culties, which, however, would be overcome at once if the government 

 would make a beginning. As the state has of late' years become the 

 owner of nearly all our railroads, this would be the most natural solution 

 of the problem. Years ago I entertained the idea of urging my company 

 to procure a specially-constructed car for transporting fish for the Berlin 

 Aquarium 5 but in consequence of the hard times, and in consideration 

 of the fact that unless likewise used for some commercial purpose 

 there would not be sufficient use for such a car, I gave up the idea. 

 The exposition again revived the idea of having a special car con- 

 structed for the transportation of fish. In conjunction with the royal 

 inspector of railroads, Mr. Bartels, I therefore drew up a plan, which I 

 hope will be favorably received by the administration of railroads and 

 be carried out by them. Quite recently an Austrian railroad official 

 has got a patent for a specially- constructed car, which is principally 

 intended for the transportation of fresh fish on ice, and of live fish. 

 Bull. U. S. F. C, 82 7 Oct. 13,1883. 



