238 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



should again occur.^^ As regards the coast, the great cholera epidemic 

 of 1834 must be mentioued, which carried off the greater portion of the 

 worthless population. A general improvement then took place by the 

 more perfect means of communication, the increased commerce, and the 

 constantly-increasing prosperits^ consequent upon. this, as also by the 

 change in the fish-trade, fewer fish being salted and a great many more 

 being sold fresh f'^ the extension of the bank-fisheries by the introduction 

 of more suitable vessels, which enabled the fishermen to undertake voy- 

 ages to more distant and richer fishing-banks (during the first half of the 

 fourth decade of this century as far as the Jseder, and in the beginning 

 'Of the sixth decade as far as Storeggen) ; by subsidies from the govern- 

 ment, the Economical Society, and private individuals, and last but not 

 least by the truly benevolent liquor-law of 1855, which marks an epoch 

 in the history of Bohusliin. This last-mentioned law shows conclusively 

 how much good may be accomplished by wise legislation, and how neces- 

 sary it is that the government should take a firm stand in suppressing 

 all those evils and disorders which are caused by a low standard of 

 morality or by too many opportunities for satisfying the sensual appe- 

 tites. With regard to the aid which the state may extend to the differ- 

 ent trades and industries, it is now generally acknowledged that nothing 

 is more hurtful to the best interests of the country than the creating of 

 a state within the state by establishing and encouraging monopolies. It 

 is to be hoped, therefore, that our coast will, in the future, be spared that 

 kind of encouragement by the government which was given to it during 

 the eighteenth century. Mayt)ur people, on the contrary, learn more 

 and more to rely upon their own exertions, and may all material prog- 

 Tess serve to further good order, sobriety, and morality, and thus advance 

 the true welfare of our province. The future historian will then be 

 able to give our population ii better character than that which Axel 

 Emanuel Holmhenf^ was obliged to give them thirty or more years ago, 

 even if he could not record as large and flourishing herring-fisheries as 

 Holmberg. And then let all " exceptional" or " monopoly" legislation be 

 done away with, always introduced under the false pretence of benefit- 

 ing the "poor fishermen." The population of Bohusliin need no longer 

 be the charity-child of the government 



To further the true welfare of our coast we need not only a wise and 

 enlightened government, but above everything else energy and enlight- 

 enment among our own people. It is not enough that they obey the 

 laws and are skilled and diligent in their various occupations, but in 

 order to make real progress they must take a warm and active interest 

 in all public affairs. If a community is to develop to the highest point 

 lof material and moral prosperity there must be a good deal of public 



<^ Great weight must be attached to the circiimstauce that the coast of Bohusliin does 

 no longer, as was the case during the last great fishing-period, form the rendezvous for 

 all the loafers and good-for-nothing people from every part of the kingdom. 



^> Holmberg, ''Bohusl. hist, ocli heskr.," II, p. 88, 99-101; III, p. 191, 192. 



^^ffolmberg, ''Bohusl hist, och besh:," II, p. 39-40; III, p. 192; 2nd edition, I, p. 233., 



