1176 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [38] 



vestigatioD of the German seas{Ministerial-Kommissionzur wissenschaft- 

 liohen Untersuchung der d^utschen Meere zu Kiel), taken together repre- 

 sent practically the two divisions of the work of the United States Fish 

 Commission, namely : " Propagation and investigation." 



The latter body is composed of a commission of scientific men, whose 

 head is a])pointed by the Gov^ernment ; is carried on with Government 

 funds, but is not in iiuy way sul)jected to Government conrrol, the cen- 

 tral headquarters bein;.;' at Kiel instead of Berlin. 



The Fischerei Yerein is a private body, under the patronage of the 

 Emperor, and with funds partly furnished by the Government, and 

 having also the general direction of the National Fish Cultural Society 

 at Huningue. This, also, is i.ot a bureau of any Government depart- 

 ment, but managed entirely by its own officers. It is the only Euro- 

 pean fisheries established tliat has so far constituted a thoroughly suc- 

 cessful experiment. 



The Netherlands (,'oramission of Sea Fisheries {Collegie voor de Zee- 

 visscherijen) is a body of fifteen men, (chiefly workers in science, occui)y- 

 ing a responsible position in the national economy, their function being 

 "to advise Government in all subjects connected with the interest of the 

 fisheries." During the twenty-five years of its existence, says its his- 

 torian, "the (;ommission has constantly been consulted by Government 

 on the different measures that might be beneficial, or on the abolition of 

 others that were detrimental, to the fisheries." 



The Society for flie Development of Norwegian Fisheries [Sehl'dbet 

 for de Norske Fiskeriers Fremme) is an organization independent of the 

 Government, and electing its own officers, bnt receiving large grants 

 from Government to carry on work i)recisely similar to that of our own 

 Commission, fn l.S82-'S3 these grants amounted to 49,000 kroner. 



(^5.) Co-operation ivith organizations and individnals outside of the or- 

 ganization itself has been carried on to the very great advantage of this 

 worTc, and has enable<l the (Commissioner to accomplish very mu(;h more 

 than would otherwise have been practicable with the means at his dis- 

 posal. 



This policy, which has been carried out by the Fish Commission to a 

 very nnich greater extent than by any other governmental organization 

 save the Smithsonian Institution, is an extension of the time-honored 

 policy of the Smithsonian Institution, and ap])]ied by means of experi- 

 ence gained in its service by those who ha\e been em])loyed inter- 

 changeably in the two estifblishments. 



This co-operation is varied in character. In some instances it is rc- 

 <!iprocal, being carried on with j^ersons who are interested in accom- 

 plishing the same end, and who share in the benefits of its accomplish- 

 ment. Of this character has been the affiliation of the Commission to 

 scientific institutions and individual investigators, who, as has already 

 been stated, are willing to aid in the work for the sake of the oppor- 

 tunities for study and publications which they receive. Of this (jharacter 



