i6 



are, to my mind, few but important. Many plans of steam 

 carriers have been devised and proposed — some of them are 

 novel, and some have been tried. 



Amongst the latter is the vessel with false hold or 

 bottom, which allows the water to pass through with a 

 view to bringing the fish alive to market. This style of 

 carrier may be advantageous in' some cases, but it is 

 impracticable for the great mackerel and herring fisheries 

 of the United Kingdom. 



I have inquired from the best sources what improve- 

 ments could be made on the existing style of carrier, and 

 I have come to the conclusion that superior speed, extensive 

 over-deck room, and the removal of the engines and boilers 

 to a portion of the vessel the farthest possible from where 

 the fish is packed and carried, are about the only improve- 

 ments that can, or rather need, be made. These 

 suggestions may take many forms, and I think the most 

 important would be to provide carriers which, proportionate 

 with size, could with the greatest speed carry the largest 

 number of boxes of fish over deck, or in properly ventilated 

 mid-deck compartments. 



The rates charged for the transmission of fish by carrier 

 owners, and particularly by railway companies, is really 

 the subject on which a practical and necessary improve- 

 ment should be made. 



I shall illustrate this. At the Kinsale and South of 

 Ireland mackerel fishery the following is the plan adopted 

 by the fish merchants for conveying fish to London and 

 the central markets : — 



They hire steamers of say 250 tons register from Liver- 

 pool tug owners, at rates varying from ;^200 to ^500 

 per week. 



These steamers are not hired by individual merchants. 



