X PEE FACE. 



Mr. Spencer Walpole, and some gentlemen residing at 

 Great Grimsby, especially Mr. 0. T. Olsen, nautical 

 instrument maker of that town, we have instituted a 

 " North Sea Prize Fisheries Committee," and have 

 issued Log-books to be filled up by the working 

 masters of the trawlers themselves. The log-books for 

 1879-80 have already been sent in, and we jDropose to 

 distribute the prizes for the best recorded observations 

 on December 27, 1880. 



I have another object in writing this book ; it is 

 to endeavour to show the truth of the good old doc- 

 trines of the Bridgwater Treatises, which have so ably 

 demonstrated the '' Power, wisdom, and goodness of God, 

 as manifested in the Creation.'^ 



Of late years the doctrines of so-called " Evolution" 

 and " Development," have seemingly gained ground 

 amongst those interested in natural history ; but, to 

 put matters very straight, I steadfastly believe that 

 the Great Creator, as indeed we ar© directly told, 

 made all things perfect and "Very Good" from tlie 

 beginning ; perfect and very good every created thing 

 is now found to be, and will so continue to the end of 

 time. 



I am very willing to prove my case by holding a court 

 at any time or place, before any number of people of any 

 class. I would empanel a jury of the most eminent and 

 skilful railway and mechanical engineers, while the only 

 witnesses I should call w^ould be the fish fresh from the 

 deep sea trawler, the City fish market, or the fish- 

 monger's slab. I would adduce from them evidence of 

 " Design, Beauty, and Order," as evinced in such as the 

 electric organs of the torpedo — the gun-lock spine of 

 the file-fi^>li — the water reservoirs and spectacles of the 



