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fisheries. Beyond this all is mere conjecture. In the 

 traffic returns of the railways, in the dealings of our large 

 London and provincial markets, lies the only possibility of 

 a private body collecting statistics relating to the fisheries. 

 But the Government might easily employ the coastguard 

 and the custom-house officers to gather detailed informa- 

 tion of the utmost importance, and the system of register- 

 ing fishing vessels might probably with little difficulty be 

 extended to the tabulation of returns relating to their catch, 

 and details respecting their outfit, &c. 



But, whatever the Government might do, such a Society 

 as I propose should take some such position in relation to 

 fisheries as the Royal Agricultural Society holds in regard 

 to agriculture, the Royal Botanic and Horticultural Societies 

 in relation to horticulture, or the Royal College of Surgeons 

 in relation to medicine. Nay, more. I venture to think 

 that it would have a claim to State recognition, and that a 

 really earnest effort to establish such a Fisheries Society 

 would encourage the Government to extend to it the same 

 support which it has accorded to the great national Institu- 

 tion across the road — the Science and Art Department — 

 and to that right Royal Institution at Kew, which has aims 

 in the field of agriculture akin to those which we have in 

 the fisheries of the waters. 



Whether supported by the State or not, the success of 

 this great Exhibition augurs well for the future of a great 

 National Society established to carry on the work which, 

 begun at Norwich, through the exertions of our far-seeing 

 and energetic chairman, has under the same able guidance, 

 with the distinguished patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, 

 and with the personal co-operation of H.R.H. the Prince 

 of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family, been 

 carried to so auspicious a consummation in this building. 



