1\)G KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHEKIES. 



MISCELLANEOUS AFFAIRS OF THE DIVISION. 



Relations with the Census Office. — With a vIcaa' to secure the coopera- 

 tion ot'tlie Fish Coiiiraission witli the Census Office in taking a census 

 of tlie lislicries and the subsequent jn-eparation of reports thereon, 

 as was done in the census of 1880, the Superintendent of Census, Hon. 

 Kobert P. Porter, in July, 1S89, entered into coniniunication with the 

 Commissioner of Fisli and Fislieries, and on August 20, 1880, appointed 

 Capt. J. W. Collins, assistant in charge of the Division of Fisheries, a 

 special ag<Mit in charge of the fishery census. On December 18, 1880, 

 Capt. Collins resigned this position, other official duties demanding his 

 entire time. Close relations between the two bureaus were still main- 

 tained, however; and, in respon.se to requests from the Superintendent 

 of Census, such data as the Fish Commission had collected were placed 

 at the disposal of the Census Office. 



Treasury Circular , ^^ Statistics of the Fisheries.''^ — The purjioses and 

 provisions of this circular have been Cnlly discussed in previous reports 

 of the Commissioner and the division. Its operation began in Decem- 

 ber, 1885, and continued in aetive force until October, 1800. During 

 the five and a half years ending June r>0, 1801, the number of circulars 

 received was 23,177, of which 4,649 were received in 1889-00 and 2,200 

 in 1800-01; during the last six months of the fiscal year 1801 only 614 

 circulars were forwarded to the office. The circumstances which led to 

 the discontinuance of the circular are end^raced in the following cor- 

 respondence between the Fish Commission and the Treasury Depart- 

 ment: , 



[The Coimnissioiior of Fisli aiul Kisliori<!s li> tlic Secretary t'f the Treasury.) 



Washington, D. C, August IS, 1890. 



SiK : Permit me to call the .-ittention of j'oiir Dopartmcut to the fact that in certain 

 cnstonis districts the reqiiireiiionts of Treasury Circular, Statistics of the Fisheiies 

 (No. '15, Hurcau of Navii^ation, scries of 1887), are apparently being overlooked or 

 disregarded, to the detriment of the work of this ollice. 



J have tiio honor to transmit a list giving the names of the customs disiricts that 

 are derelict, together with such brief annotations .is are thought necessary to show 

 your DepartnuMit the sp(!cial conditions ])revailing in each case. 



It should he stated that at one time all the districts in (]uestiou were complying 

 with the circular; hut, for reasons unknown to tliis oflice, they have, for a greater 

 or less length of time, ceased regarding it. 



I have to reiiuest that you will kindly have this matter brought to Iflie attention 

 of the collectors of the districts named, to the end that reports omitted in the past 

 may be forwarded, and that in the future the reciuiremeuts of the circular may be 

 ])romptly and completely carriiul out. 



I desire to imjirovo this oj»])()rtunity to convey to you an cxpn^ssion of the obliga- 

 tion felt by the Fish Commission for the assistance given by your Department in 

 the matter of collecting lishery statistics. I have pleasure; in expressing my hearty 

 appreciation of the faithful manner in which the work has generally been performed 

 by customs oflicials, and it only needs the addition of the iaw links in the chain, which 



