THE IMPOVERISHMENT OF THE SEA. 43 



return to their own ports for the winter season, it is probable that the 

 figures exaggerate the additional catching power due to the East Coast 

 immigrations, although they probably convey a correct idea of the 

 relative number of the immigrants in successive years. This point, 

 as in the case of the steamers, will be reconsidered in the sequel. 



§ iv. Number of Liners. 



In determining the number of first class vessels engaged in line 

 fishing, it seemed preferable, after examination of the figures given 

 by the collectors of fishery statistics for successive years, to restrict the 

 computation to the East Coast ports, since the number of boats princi- 

 pally engaged in this mode of fishing from the ports of the South and 

 West Coasts is exceedingly small and uncertain. In the case of steam 

 liners, the ports of North Shields, Hull, and Grimsby have been alone 

 selected, since the figures assigned by the collectors to such ports as 

 Sunderland, Hartlepool, and Whitby are both insignificant and variable. 

 In the case of sailing liners, the ports selected were Staithes, Scar- 

 borough, Filey, Bridlington, Grimsby, and Harwich. The figures 

 assigned to each of these ports in each year in Table F are those 

 given by the collectors of statistics, subject to deductions, where 

 necessary, of vessels clearly belonging to other ports. 



The totals, as set forth in Table F, show that while the steam liners 

 have doubled during the decade, the sailing liners of the first class have 

 fallen from about 240 to 80. 



3. Eelative Catching Power of Trawlers and Liners. 



However accurate the returns of the quantity of fish landed may be, 

 and however exact the estimation of the numbers of vessels engaged in the 

 different kinds of fishery, it is impossible to obtain a satisfactory view 

 of the condition of the fisheries in general without also taking into 

 consideration the relative catching power of the different classes of 

 fishing vessels and the changes wrought in their efficiency at different 

 times by the introduction of new fishing appliances, and by increased 

 speed and storage capacity. The gross returns of fish landed from year 

 to year are meaningless for purposes of accurate comparison unless they 

 are taken in relation with the total catching power of the fishing vessels 

 for the same periods, and it is impossible to form even an approximate 

 idea of the growth of catching power from the mere numbers and 

 registered tonnage of the vessels as a whole. It is indispensable that 

 the vessels should be sorted out according to their mode of fishery and 

 their means of propulsion, and their respective catching powers reduced 

 to some uniform standard of efficiency. 



