X PREFACE. 



eries will ever again be confided altogether to 

 unskilled and incompetent hands. 



With regard to the Sea-fisheries, it will always 

 be a source of satisfaction to me, that regardless 

 of the rocks and shoals, or rather the thorns and 

 briers that beset the path, I have placed upon its 

 proper footing before the public, one of the great 

 resources of the country — one which, if duly 

 cultivated, will prove a boundless source of food, 

 wealth, and employment to the people. 



These are briefly my reasons for now submit- 

 ting to the public this collection of my commu- 

 nications upon the subject of the fisheries. 



With regard to the form, or style adopted — 

 it is to be observed that these articles appeared 

 originally in magazines and periodicals, and that 

 in those vehicles of information, some latitude is 

 always allowed, to enable the writer to dress up 

 his subject, and enliven the dull details of prac- 

 tical inquiries: this will in some measure account 

 for extraneous matter occasionally introduced — 

 not always though, without a sufficient object 

 arising out of the political occurrences of the 



