REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXV 



in others — notably those at Norwich, England, in 1881, and Edinburgh, 

 in 1882. As these were occasions of minor imi)ortance, the invitations 

 to participate, unaccompanied, as they were, by formal action of the 

 British Government, were not responded to. The exhibitions were held 

 during the years mentioned, and were very successful in exciting inter- 

 est to the subject of fish culture and the fisheries ; so much so, indeed, 

 that it was determined to hold a much larger and more comprehensive 

 exposition in London in 1883. This enterprise soon assumed an inter- 

 national importance, and a formal invitation was extended by the Brit- 

 ish Government to the United States to take part on this occasion. 



The correspondence began by the transmission, on the part of Minis- 

 ter Lowell, of an inquiry from the Earl of Dncie as to whether an invi- 

 tation to the United States of participation would be received favorably. 

 On the 26th of April the President transmitted to Congress a message 

 on the subject, recommending acceptance of the invitation and an ap- 

 propriation to carry out its requirements. A bill appropriating $50,000 

 was reported by the Committee on Foreign Eelations of the House, was 

 passed under suspension of the rules, and was concurred in by the Sen- 

 ate on the 13th of July. 



On the 3d of May I appeared before the House Committee on For- 

 eign Eelations, and on the 2(Jth of May before the Senate committee, 

 explaining the character of the proposed exhibition, and the advantages 

 that the United States might be expected to derive in consequence of 

 her participation. 



As soon as the money became available preparations were made for 

 the occasion, and a careful investigation was made as to suitable objects 

 in the National Museum. The deficiencies were then noted, and meas-. 

 ures taken to supply them. It was considered particularly desirable 

 to furnish a complete series of models, illustrating the progress of the 

 American fishing vessels from their earliest forms to those of the pres- 

 ent day. Preparations were also made for securing all the later and 

 better varieties of tackle and other fishing apparatus of every kind. 

 Small boats, sportsmens' clothing and equipment, samples of the vari- 

 ous fishery productions, casts of fishes, fish-hatching — and fish curing 

 establishments of the country, etc. It was determined also to secure 

 an extensive series of photographs, illustrating everything connected 

 with the fishery industries. 



The gentlemen who had been so successful in collecting the statistics 

 for the census department of the fisheries was again assigned to this new 

 service, especially Messrs. J. W. Collins, E. E. Earll, H. C. Chester, A. 

 Howard Clark, and others. Mr. Elliott, as artist, and Mr. Smillie, as 

 photographer, visited the fishing localities, and made many sketches and 

 pictures and photographs (mostly instantaneous) of much interest. The 

 whole work was under the direction of Mr. G. Brown Goode, assisted, so 

 far as fish culture was concerned, by Major Ferguson, Colonel McDonald, 

 and other specialists of the Commission. Models and maps of the various 



