XXXVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



tire charge during the year of the preparation of all matter for the printer, 

 the correcting of the ])roofs of text and plates, and all else relating to 

 the proper presentation of the several volumes, pani])lilets, and circulars 

 as well as of their distribution to correspondents and applicants. 



9. — PAYMENTS FOR ROYALTIES. 



The question has frequently arisen on the part of the Commission as 

 to the payment of royalties on patented articles used in connection with 

 its operations, especially those of fish culture; the particular question 

 being the demand of ]\Ir. Oren Chase, of Detroit, for compensation for 

 the alleged use of the principle of his fish-hatching Jar. There is no 

 question of authority to purchase an instrument or object, with the un- 

 derstanding that the price includes the royalty ; but, in this instance, 

 waiving the question of actual infringement of the patent, inquiry was 

 made of the First Comptroller as to the authority to grant, under tbe 

 circumstances, the request of Mr. Chase. After a careful consideration 

 of the subject, he decided that the claim of Mr. Chase was of the nature 

 of damages against the United States, and that the only remedy was in 

 an application to Congress for compensation. 



10. — PERMANENT SEA-COAST STATION OF THE UNITED STATES FISH 



COMMISSION. 



From the inception of the work of the Commission, in 1871, it has been 

 the custom to select some station on the sea-coast from which to prose- 

 cute the researches required by Congress into the scientific and econom- 

 ical problems connected with the sea and its inhabitants ; the stations, 

 as already indicated, covering the coast from the Bay of Fundy to Long 

 Island Sound. In this way the peculiarities of the in-shores have been 

 ■well determined, and the geographical distribution of the fishes, mol- 

 lusks, crustaceans, radiates, etc., j)roperly marked out. In addition to 

 the discovery of a great many new species, much light has been thrown 

 upon the subject of marine natural history generally. 



It is not to be supposed that everything in this connection has been 

 learned ; but the broad features have been determined, and the renuiinder 

 can be safely left to local and special researches. 



The acquisiti(m of a sea-going steamer, in the Fish Hawk, and the 

 hope of obtaining a still more serviceable vessel, rendered it expedient 

 to fix upon some point for permanent occupation where the necessarj' 

 facilities could be obtained for doing the work of the Commission in the 

 best manner. 



As the same station was to be used, both for research, and for ]uopa- 

 gation of the marine fishes, and as the best conditions for the latter 

 were found on the south coast of New England, fish here being in greater 

 variety, and, so far as the winter hatching was concerned, the cold be- 

 ing much less severe, and the other circumstances generally more favor- 



