[31] 



Tttr, RTATTTR OP TfTF. FISH COMMISSION. 11G9 



this seems almost iiicrodible. Whenever 1 liave tykeu the trouble to 

 protect a codfish, when still in the egg:, and as a yonng fish, I found 

 that in that condition it was worthless lor us, because to make it grow 

 as it should it must return to its own element, the sea; and there to 

 find it again at a later ])eriod seems just as hopeless as the desire of 

 Polycrates that the waves of the ocean should retiirn to him his golden 

 ring. And still, correct as this reasoning may ap])ear, the Americans 

 will prove the whole thing to us in dollars and cents ; whilst the delighted 

 fishermen of Gloucester would soon convince you of the contrary if you 

 were to tell them that their increased codfisheries were simply caused by 

 accidental circumstances and not by the energetic work of Professor 

 Baird and the United States Fish Commission. » * * The head of the 

 American commission to London said to me: 'In our country we would 

 as little think of leaving fish culture to private etiort as of taking from 

 the hands of the Government the care of the light-houses.' Well said, 

 but not very pleasant for th(> ears of true a<lher(Mits of the Manchester 

 schooL These words should be taken to heart in r^urope, atid espe- 

 cially in the Ketherlands. It is to our immediate interest that * * * 

 u-e may he the first to reap the fruits of American teachiuff and to take the 

 front ranU in the European fsh markets, which helonys to us rather ihan-t4> 

 other countries which, owing to their location, are not able to imitate tk* 

 example set by America as well as ice can:- 



"Of the nine Government institutions, which are either wholly or in 

 part intended for making investigations on the field of i)ure and applied 

 science,* the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries is at this 

 day, to quote the words of its historian, ' the most prominent of the pres- 

 ent efforts of the Government in aid of affgressive biological research.'' Evei'y 

 person in Europe who has followed its (;areer and who has studied its 

 reports, will cheerfully subscribe to the truth of the words qiu)ted above, 

 which in such terse tbrm expresses the deep interest wiiich the Govern- 

 ment of the Union takes in these researches ; and we must not fail to 

 mention that the energetic American mind did not only invent this term 

 ('aggressive research'), but that it has also understood to make the ag 

 gression in such a manner as to conquer all opposition. 



" Perhaps the time is near— and would that the London Fishery Ex- 

 position might hasten it; — when the eyes of our representatives will be 

 opened to the great imj)ortance to the 'welfare of our country of * ag- 

 gressive research.' 



" After briefly mentioning material aids, we must not forget to refer to 

 the intellectual aid placed at the disposal of the Commission. Under the 

 supervision of the Commissioner there is a full staff of experienced and skill- 

 ful naturalists, tchich works into a ivhole all the various observations, and 

 orders the new investigations called for by such observations. Their ranks 



* Een verwaarloosd Volkshelang. "A neglected public interest," in a rejjriut from 

 " (1.3 Gi(l8," No. 7. Utreclit, 18B3. 

 H. Mis. OS 74 



