10 



of the thorough and assiduous interpretation of the oanon above 

 mentioned ; the Japanese students, private, despatched bj the associa- 

 tions or industrial companies, or by Government, are everywhere 

 seeking knowledge in the most practical ways and reporting to their 

 principals for necessary action at home. Not only so but foreign 

 experts have been brought in to teach trade methods ; in Hokkaido 

 Americans were imported to teach the best method of preserving the 

 fish for which that islaud is so famous ; at Nagasaki a French expert 

 was employed by a private person to teach him the art of canning 

 sardines in oil, with the result that the local factory is a success at 

 this day. This is one of the ways in which Japan works ; the search 

 after foreign knowledge has been and is being most thoroughly 

 carried out not by Government representatives merely but largely by 

 students and by agents of private associations and capitalists, while 

 Japanese fishermen and capitalists are ready at once to take advan- 

 tage of the knowledge brought to them either by adopting the methods 

 at home or by going out to places where such knowledge can be 

 utilised. The action of Government, of the University, of the College 

 of Agriculture, and of private persons in the matter of the stud}' of 

 foreign agriculture, may be compared ; see my note on Japanese 

 Agriculture. 



CREATION OF A DEPARTMENT AND OF A NATIONAL 

 FISH BURIES SOCIETY. 



13. One immediate result of these enquiries abroad was the estab- 

 lishment by Government in 1885 of a bureau within the Department 

 of Agriculture and Commerce, to deal with marine products. This 

 bureau underwent several changes of form and scope but in 1897 its 

 duties had so developed that it was separated from Agriculture and 

 erected into a distinct department under the Minister for Agriculture 

 and Commerce. Considering Japanese methods and thoroughness it 

 need hardly be said that the department is thoroughly equipped for 

 all purposes with the best experts and specialists in biology, economic 

 and industrial fisheries, fish culture, and fishery law ; its best descrip- 

 tion will be found in the narrative of the work done as will be seen 

 'pasfiim below. 



14. But this development was simultaneously attended and even 

 preceded, by private effort as a matter both oi public interest and of 

 industrial profit ; the " Fisheries Society of Japan '\ a private associa- 

 tion of wide and practical scope, was founded in 1881 and has now 

 attained a large membership and great usefulness. In 1880 Profes- 

 sor Matsubdra and Mr. Murata attended the Berlin International 

 Fisheries Exhibition as Government delegates and the lessons they 



