ei) 
Mr. Birkbeck, with all his energy and ability, endeavoured 
to carry out the international system, it would be the 
hardest task he ever undertook. Every now and then 
the shifting of responsibility in the Cabinet of France 
would upset the scheme altogether. He therefore begged 
them to stand by each other, and with the independence 
of Britishers endeavour to carry out some regulations for 
their own benefit. He found on one point a great deal of 
ignorance manifested by most of the speakers, and that 
ignorance was not confined to them, but was shared by the 
Chairman and many others, and that was with reference to 
poor Ireland. Mr. Jex had shown that, owing to various 
circumstances, they were driven far out of the grounds they 
had formerly fished, and they had been obliged to expend 
more money, and to go three hundred or four hundred 
miles off; they did not seem to be aware that within a 
very short distance—only eighteen hours from the London 
market—there were over two thousand miles of coast 
unfished, but that was the fact, as he had proved in 
the Paper read at these conferences, from official docu- 
mentary evidence. What ‘was required to improve this 
industry was, first of all, harbour accommodation, and next, 
proper means of transit, so that when the fish were caught 
they might go to the nearest point, and be conveyed to 
market at once. 
The CHAIRMAN reminded Mr. Bloomfield that the 
subject he was now touching upon would be discussed 
later. 
Mr. BLOOMFIELD said he was not aware that the dis- 
cussion was confined to the destruction of immature fish, 
but on that subject he could only say that the Irish were 
entirely innocent, because for want of a market, transit, and 
means, the quantity caught was infinitesimal compared 
D 2 
