140 



ignorance. The Government of tlie day ajjpointed Eoyal Commissions to inquire into 

 tlie questions in dispute. These Commissions proceeded to investigate the matter not 

 by considering the facts, for there were usually none establislied either of a statistical 

 or biological character, but by taking down carefully and printing the statements of 

 the disputing fishermen themselves and weighing the assertions of one set against those 

 of the other. Of course the Commissions collected together those facts bearing on the 

 matter which were known, and their reports contain a certain amount of grain 

 amongst a great deal of chaff. They also constantly reported that the only satisfactory 

 method of investigating problems concerning the fisheries was to study the natural 

 history of the fishes and to record fishery statistics. Probably the various Commissions 

 cost quite as much as a proper fisheries department, including a scientific as well as a 

 statistical staff, would have cost, but it was the traditional British method to appoint 

 Commissions. The public authorities have now commenced to collect and record 

 statistics, but they are yet far from the organisation of a satisfactory and convenient 

 system. In order to find information about the English sea-fisheries now we have to 

 search three distinct publications ; the statistics of fish landed are given in the 

 " Statistical Tables and Memorandum," the number of boata and men are to be found in 

 the Annual Statement of Navigation and Shipping, the preparation of which is entirely 

 out of the control of the Fisheries Sub-department, and finally a certain amount of 

 miscellaneous information is given in the Annual Eeports of the Inspector of Sea 

 Fisheries. 



But apart from this inconvenience a great deal of improvement might be effected in 

 the system of recording the statistics. The diSiculty of finding the total quantity of 

 soles landed has been sufficiently obvious from the above discussion. It might at first 

 be supposed that all the soles landed were included under the heading " soles," but we 

 find on careful examination that some soles are also included in the item of " prime 

 fish not separately distinguished." Of course this inconvenience is due to the customs 

 of the trade : sometimes soles are sold in trunks unmixed with other fish, while boxes 

 of mixed fish, including soles and small turbot, are also sold entire. But at least some 

 effort might be made to ascertain and inform the public what proportion the soles sold 

 separately bear to the total amount, whether the proportion is approximately constant 

 or not. If it has been found possible to separate the haddocks which are sent to 

 Billingsgate packed with prime fish, it ought to be possible to separate the soles. 

 Another peculiarity in the tables which must shock the vaind of anyone engaged in the 

 fish trade on the east coast or in London, is that beside the item soles in the figures for 

 England and Wales is placed an item in the figures for Scotland which a foot-note 

 explains to refer to lemon-soles. Now lemon-soles are no more soles than plaice are, 

 and their value is scarcely greater than that of plaice. Besides, quantities of lemon-soles 

 are sold in the London market and other English markets, but we are not told where 

 they are placed in the English statistics. We do not even know whether they are classed 

 as " prime fish not separately distinguished " or not. However, it is very satisfactory 



