THE IMMATURE FISH QUESTION. 63 
tities of soles landed. But whereas the absolute quantities in 1890 
and 1891 are less than in the years 1888 and 1887 respectively, the 
quantities per first-class boat in the former years are greater. When 
we examine the quantities per ton of first-class boats we find a still 
greater difference from the absolute quantities, the proportion for 
1891 being higher than for any other year except 1886. Taking 
next the turbot, we find that the quantities per boat follow the same 
order as the absolute quantities, and so also do the quantities per ton of 
first-class boats. The last column of the table shows that the annual 
earnings per ton of total tonnage have steadily increased in the six 
years, so that although the public are poorer on account of the 
increase in the price of fish, it would seem that the men and boats 
actually earn more money every year. But this result, again, requires 
qualification, for there has been especially on the north-east coast of 
England a great increase in the number of steam trawlers, and 
everywhere within the last six or seven years steam machinery has 
been more and more generally used on sailing vessels as well as 
steamers for hauling up the trawl. The steam trawler can make 
more hauls than the sailing vessel, and yet her tonnage is registered 
as less than that of a sailing vessel of the same size. For instance, 
a steam-vessel of fifteen tons gross is registered in the first class, but 
the tonnage entered for her is the net registered tonnage, which is 
less than fifteen tons. Taking these difficulties into consideration, it 
is not worth while to calculate the quantities of fish per boat or per 
ton for the several coasts separately. 
Summary.—To summarise these results, then, the analysis shows 
that there has been no continuous decrease in the total quantity of 
fish caught, nor in the quantity of total fish per ton of the total 
tonnage of all kinds of boats. When we deduct the quantities of 
mackerel, herrings, pilchards, and sprats, we find there has been a 
considerable decrease in the total quantity of drift-net fish landed, 
and a corresponding increase in the total quantity of other kinds of 
fish. The total number of fishing-boats has steadily decreased since 
1871, but the total tonnage reached a maximum in 1887, There 
has been a decrease, but not a continuous decrease in the quantity 
of soles and turbot landed, but an increase in the total quantity of 
plaice. The decrease in the quantities of soles and turbot has been 
confined to the east coast, and there no decrease in plaice has 
occurred. On the south and west coasts the quantities of soles and 
turbot landed have largely increased, and plaice also on the west 
coast ; on the south coast plaice have somewhat decreased. 
Postscript.—After this paper was finished the statistical tables 
and memorandum for 1892 were published. I have therefore 
inserted the figures for this year in the tables, but time is not avail- 
