2 
rather a peculiar position, for it was customary at these ex- 
hibitions for the persons who opened them to praise every- 
thing. They pointed out to me, however, that this case was 
somewhat different, because the Committee who have sent 
down the Exhibition have sent it to illustrate what they are 
doing, how they are spending the public money (now 
amounting to a very large sum, about £3,000 per annum), 
and to justify their action in treating the fishermen in the 
manner in which they are doing; and therefore it was per- 
fectly fair, as they were paid by the people, that the people 
should criticise their action, if they could. 
I think before I go any further I should tell you what 
particular chances have fallen in my way to render me 
capable of forming an opinion on this question. From being 
a lad (I should say for quite 40 years), this subject has had 
for me a most fascinating interest. I was a born fisher- 
man, a hereditary fisherman, I think; but catching a great 
quantity of fish never had anything like the attraction for 
me that the study of the habits of fish and the wonderful 
problems, both of sea and fresh water, had, and I have 
always made it a subject of keen study. In 1875, when 
the Southport Aquarium was started, about a fortnight 
before it was opened, I was asked to join the Board of 
Directors, and to take charge of the Aquarium, as none of 
the directors had studied the question of fish culture. I 
agreed to do so, on condition that I should not be expected 
