LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
To the Senate and House of Representatives: 
I transmit herewith, for the information of the Congress, a communi- 
cation from the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries forwarding a pre- 
liminary report on an investigation of the fisheries and fishing laws of 
Hawaii, made in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress 
approved April 30, 1900. 
Your attention is called to the request of the Commissioner that the 
sum of $10,000 be appropriated for the immediate use of the Commis- 
sion in carrying out the wishes of Congress. 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
WuitEt House, January 13, 1902. 
Unirep STATES CoMMISSION OF FIsH AND FISHERIES, 
Washington, D. C., January 7, 1902. 
The PRESIDENT: 
The act of Congress approved April 380, 1900, providing a govern- 
ment for the Territory of Hawaii, contained the following: section: 
Sec. 94. That the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries of the United States is 
empowered and required to examine into the entire subject of fisheries and the laws 
relating to the fishing rights in the Territory of Hawaii, and report to the President 
touching the same, and to recommend such changes in said laws as he shall see fit. 
In accordance therewith, I caused to be made during the past sum- 
mer an investigation of the fishes, fisheries, fishery laws, etc., of the 
Territory. The investigation was placed under the direction of Dr. 
David S. Jordan, president of Leland Stanford Junior University, 
and Dr. Barton W. Evermann, ichthyologist of the U.S. Commission of 
Fish and Fisheries, whose report I have the honor to submit herewith. 
This report deals especially with the question of fishery legislation, 
and contains a number of recommendations, to which I have given my 
approval, for the improvement and preservation of the local fisheries. 
The report is to be regarded as preliminary. The large size of the 
Territory and the great extent of the available fishing-grounds make de- 
sirable further investigation of the fishery resources, particularly those 
of the comparatively deep waters about the islands. This investigation 
will be conducted during the current calendar year under the general 
direction of Dr. Jordan, and the Commission has already obtained your 
approval of the plan to assign the steamer A/éatross to this work. 
In providing for the examination of the fisheries of Hawaii, Congress 
made no appropriation to meet the necessary expenses. It is ‘therefore 
requested that the sum of $10,000 be appropriated for the immediate 
use of the Commission in carrying out the wishes of Congress. 
Very respectfully, 
Grorck M. Bowrrs, 
Commissioner. 
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